What to Look Out for in Economic Data This Week (April 6-10)

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It's another big week on the economic calendar, including the first incoming inflation data to reflect the impact of the energy shock emanating from a war in the Middle East between the U.S., Israel and Iran that effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Wednesday's minutes from the March Fed meeting set up the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) on Thursday and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Friday. We'll also see weekly jobless claims and preliminary University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey results.

The Fed prefers PCE over CPI. But this CPI is for March, while that PCE is for February. Markets still expect the central bank to maintain its wait-and-see approach to interest rates at least through the next Fed meeting on April 28-29.

Economic reports we're watching

Wednesday, April 8: Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes: The Fed held rates after its most recent monetary policy meeting. Officials continue to express varying levels of concern about broad uncertainty and their ability to balance price stability and full employment.

Thursday, April 9: Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) and Core PCE: The central bank likes PCE because it captures a broader and deeper range of costs for consumers. Incoming data still won't reflect the energy shock from the Middle East.

Friday, April 10: Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Core CPI: This will be the first set of incoming inflation data to reflect the impact of rising crude oil prices at the consumer level. The front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract had its biggest-ever monthly gain in dollar terms in March.

Read on to see the entire weekly economic calendar of the most important upcoming economic reports scheduled to be released in the next several days. At times, we provide expanded previews and recaps for select reports.

Please check back often. This economic calendar is updated regularly. Bolded reports are those considered more noteworthy. All reporting times are in Eastern Time.

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Monday (4/6)

There are no noteworthy economic reports scheduled for release on Monday, April 6.

Tuesday (4/7)

Noteworthy economic reports

Time released	Economic report	Period
8:30 am	Durable goods orders	January
12:35 pm	Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee speaks	N/A
3 pm	Consumer credit	February

Wednesday (4/8)

Will the Fed's next move be a rate hike?

The minutes of the March Fed meeting show voting members of the FOMC are concerned about the risk of higher inflation due to the energy shock from the war in the Middle East.

The FOMC held interest rates steady last month. Members expect effects from President Donald Trump's tariffs to diminish later in 2026, but a spike in crude oil prices complicates the path back to its 2% inflation target.

"However," Barclays Chief U.S. Economist Marc Giannoni writes, "the vast majority of participants also viewed risks to employment as skewed to the downside."

Giannnoni still expects the Fed to cut the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points in September "if inflation declines," and to cut by another 25 bps in March 2027.

At the same time, the economist notes, "Some participants wanted to convey a more hawkish stance with two-sided guidance."

Noteworthy economic reports

Time released	Economic report	Period
2 pm	Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes	N/A

Thursday (4/9)

PCE is still in a good place

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), prices were basically stable over the 12 months through February. Headline PCE was 2.8%, in line with the January print. And core PCE, which excludes food and energy prices, was 3.0%, slightly slower than the 3.1% as of the prior month.

At the same time, both month-over-month figures accelerated. Headline PCE was 0.4% vs 0.28%, while core PCE accelerated to 0.4% from 0.36%.

"We didn't see elevated readings in the February inflation data, which means we were in a good starting place," Northlight Asset Management Chief Investment Officer Chris Zaccarelli writes, "but the war – and the elevated energy prices that came with it – will likely filter into the March PCE readings, which will be released at the end of this month."

Noteworthy economic reports

Time released	Economic report	Period
8:30 am	Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE)	February
8:30 am	Core PCE	February
8:30 am	Weekly jobless claims	Week ending March 28
8:30 am	GDP	Q4
10 am	Wholesale inventories	February

Friday (4/10)

CPI gasses up

Let's hand it off to Barclays Senior U.S. Economist Pooja Sriram: "We expect March headline inflation to be the hottest since May 2022, at 0.9% m/m (3.3% y/y), led by a surge in gasoline prices."

The economist forecast a four-basis-point acceleration for core CPI to 0.3% month over month and 2.7% year over year. The February CPI report was tame. But rising oil prices are going to leave a mark.

"The duration of the conflict remains key to the path for inflation," Sriram concludes.

Noteworthy economic reports

Time released	Economic report	Period
8:30 am	Consumer Price Index (CPI)	March
8:30 am	Core CPI	March
10 am	Factory orders	February
10 am	University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (preliminary)	April

Reporting schedules are provided Forex Factory and MarketWatch.