Economic News: Fed speakers, BOE rate decision, China factory output, U.S. retail sales
This week, look for Federal Reserve officials to offer final hints before their next policy meeting on an interest-rate increase in the U.S., while the Bank of England could clarify its post-Brexit strategy at its gathering. Industrial production figures will come from China, and U.S. retail sales will be released later in the week.
MONDAY: Fed governor Lael Brainard and Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart provide a last chance to hear from policy makers before the central bank’s self-imposed gag order ahead of its Sept. 20-21 meeting. Ms. Brainard has been a skeptic of increasing rates when inflation is still low, while Mr. Lockhart is a centrist seen as closely aligned with Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen. Remarks from both will be monitored for clues about the likelihood of an increase to the Fed’s benchmark rate later this month.
Japan’s government will release July machinery order data, likely showing Japanese companies continue to be cautious about investment. Core machinery orders, seen as a leading indicator of capital spending, are expected to have fallen 3.1% month on month in July, according to a survey of economists by The Wall Street Journal. The data will be released Sunday night Eastern time.
