Key Economic Events To Watch In The Upcoming Week

According to PANews, the recent CPI report indicates a rise in U.S. consumer inflation, prompting U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to acknowledge the need for further efforts to alleviate price pressures in the economy. This has dampened expectations for interest rate cuts, although weak retail sales data has provided some hope. Wall Street's ability to handle dramatic events has been tested once again, with traders proving capable, leaving the overall market largely unaffected. Here are the key points the market will focus on in the upcoming week: On Monday at 22:30 (UTC+8), Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker, a 2026 FOMC voting member, will speak. At 23:20 (UTC+8), Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman will deliver remarks. On Tuesday at 23:20 (UTC+8), San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly, a 2027 FOMC voting member, will address the public. On Thursday at 03:00 (UTC+8), the Federal Reserve will release the minutes of its January monetary policy meeting. At 21:30 (UTC+8), data on initial jobless claims for the week ending February 15 and the February Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index will be published. At 22:35 (UTC+8), Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, a 2025 FOMC voting member, will speak. On Friday at 01:05 (UTC+8), St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, a 2025 FOMC voting member, will speak at the New York Economic Club. At 22:45 (UTC+8), the preliminary February S&P Global Manufacturing PMI and Services PMI will be released. At 23:00 (UTC+8), the final February University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index and the final February one-year inflation rate expectations will be announced. Following Powell's semi-annual testimony and January's inflation data, investors are unlikely to focus heavily on the Fed's January meeting minutes next week. Instead, attention may shift to Friday's February S&P Global PMI data. A PMI below 50 could pressure the dollar and boost gold prices. A February survey by Bank of America of over 50 global fund managers revealed that betting on a stronger dollar remains a crowded trade among interest rate and currency traders. Nearly half of investors still expect the dollar to peak in the first quarter of this year.