Economists believe the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates at its meeting this week,🐷 with the Wednesday announcement followed by a press conference with Chair Jerome Powell.

Investor💞s will also get several economic data releases this week, including existing home sales, homebu𝔉ilder confidence, and housing starts. Retail sales data on Tuesday could also impact markets.

FedEx (FDX), General Mills (GIS), Darden Restaurants (DRI), and homebuilder Lennar (LEN) are among the companies reporting earnings this week.

Monday, Sept. 16

• Empire State Manufacturing Index (September)

Tuesday, Sept. 17

• Retail sales (August)
• Federal Open Market Committee meeting begins
• Housing market index (September)
• Business inventories (July)

Wednesday, Sept. 18

• Housing starts and permits (August)
• FOMC interest rate announcement
• Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's press conference
• General Mills reports earnings

Thursday, Sept. 19

• Initial jobless claims (Week ending Sept. 14)
• Leading economic indicators (August)
• Existing home sales (August)
• Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey (September)
• FedEx, Darden Restaurants, Lennar and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL)report earnings

Friday, Sept. 20

• Lennar reports earnings

Investors Expect Rate Cut onജ Wednesday, Plus Powell Comments, Retail Sales Report

Investors are anticipating a long-awaited reduction in borrowing costs this week when the Federal Reserve෴ concludes its September meeting on Wednesday w🌱ith a 2 p.m. ET announcement on interest rates.

After first 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:raising interest🐎 rates in March 2022 to combat spiking inflation, the Fed gradually increased its influential 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:federal funds rate to 5.25%-5.5%, the highest levels ♓in 23 years, and held them there for more than a year🌄.  Now, with inflation subsiding and signals that the labor market is softening, the Fed is expected to lower interest rates for the first time in four years. 

澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will deliver remarks about the interest rate decision at a press conference at 2:30 p.m. Investors will listen for clues about the Fe♓d's next monetary policy decisions and views on the economy.

On Tuesday, retail sales data for August will provide Fed officials with a look at consumer spending, which accounts for roughly two-thirds of U.S. 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Retail sales surprised in July,🍨 as resilient consumers continued to defy economic forecasts♓.

Market watchers will also get several pieces of housing data this week, including 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:existing home sales, 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:housing starts, and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:homebuilder confidence. 

FedEx, General Mill😼s to Report Quarterly Earnings

FedEx will report earnings on Thursday. The package delivery company beat analyst expectations in its prior earnings report, as CEO Raj Subramaniam forecasted that the company would be able to 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:extend its momentum into 2025. 

On Wednesday, General Mills’ report will show how the cereal maker is weathering what CEO Jeff Harmening has called a “澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史🐎查询:more ch🔴allenging operating environment.🤡” The maker of Betty Crocker cake mix and Blue Buffalo pet food missed sales estimates in its most-recent quarterly report, and the company’s earnings forecast came in lower than expected.

Financial updates on Wednesday from 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Cracker Barrel and ꦏ澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史🐻查询:Olive Garden-parent Darden Restaurants will show whether restaurants continue to face headwinds.  Lennar’s report on Thursday comes after the homebuilder forecast ♊澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:weaker-than-expected construction numbers during its prior quarterly report, indicating that demand for new homes remains soft.