Thursday at 8:30 am, critical Core PCE and Annualized GDP data drop, serving as the Fed's primary inflation gauge. Monday features ISM Manufacturing PMI at 10:00 am, followed by ADP Employment and ISM Services PMI on Wednesday at 8:15 am and 10:00 am respectively. With markets sensitive to "higher for longer" narratives, these tier-1 releases will dictate rate cut expectations. Expect significant volatility in treasury yields and equity futures during these morning windows as recession fears clash with inflation persistence.
Traders should tighten stop-losses ahead of Thursday's 8:30 am PCE release, as a hot print could trigger a sharp hawkish reversal. Monitor Wednesday's ISM Services data for signs of wage-push inflation, which may provide early signals for upcoming NFP results.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.