What to Watch for this Week
This week has a heavy economic calendar and will encompass the beginning of the month Employee Situation Report for January 2018. Last month, “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 148,000 in December, and the unemployment
rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment gains occurred in health care, construction, and manufacturing.” was reported by the BLS.
This week week will be waiting and seeing how the employeement situation will turn out.
Earnings
“Of the 133 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings to date for Q4 2017, 79.7% have reported earnings above analyst expectations. This is above the long-term average of 64% and above the average over the past four quarters of 72%”, according to Reuters.
The forward four-quarter (1Q18 – 4Q18) P/E ratio for the S&P 500 is 18.5.
Global Spotlight
A Week in the World of Global Trade. Trade was a key theme last week for the United States as President Donald Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Venezuela to Hold Elections. Venezuela’s government announced on Jan. 24 that the 2018 presidential election will be held on April 30.
U.S. Targets Russian Elites. The U.S. Treasury Department will begin issuing a series of reports on Jan. 29 exploring options to expand sanctions on Russia, targeting government foreign debt and the country’s most powerful political and business leaders.
Are Northern Europe’s Allegiances Divided? As formal coalition talks started in Germany last week, Berlin’s partners in Northern Europe are getting nervous.
In the coming week, U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address, the U.S. Treasury Department will release reports on expanding sanctions against Russia, and North Korea’s athletes will arrive in Pyeongchang, South Korea, to prepare for the Feb. 9-25 Winter Olympics.
stratfor.com
Economic Calendar
Here is a list of the U.S. economic events happenning this week.
Unemployment rate
With the labor market believed to be approaching full employment, disappointing headline readings could become more commonplace. This would be indicative of employers struggling to find workers with the right skillset, which in turn should translate into upward pressure on wages.
FOMC
This week the FOMC will announce their interest rate decision. It is anticipated that there will be 3 rate hikes in 2018.
briefing.com
Last Weeks Numbers
Review Last weeks numbers here.
