Nov. 20, 2009 (Allthingsforex.com) – The Thanksgiving holiday-shortened week ahead will bring a sequence of crucial economic reports that could, depending on their outcome, provide the much needed catalyst for the continuation of the rally in equities, commodities and major currencies against the USD.

In preparation for the new trading week, here is a list of the Top 10 spotlight economic events that every currency trader should pay attention to. 

1.    EUR- Euro-zone Manufacturing and Services PMI- Purchasing Managers Indexes, two leading indicators of economic conditions measuring the level of activity of purchasing managers in the manufacturing and services sector, Mon., Nov. 23, 4:00 am, ET.

2.    USD- U.S. Existing Home Sales, the main gauge of U.S. housing market conditions measuring the number of closed sales of previously constructed homes, condominiums and co-ops , Mon., Nov. 23, 10:00 am, ET.

3.    EUR- German IFO Institute Business Climate and Expectations Index, a leading indicator of economic conditions and business expectations in the Euro-zone’s largest economy, Tues., Nov. 24, 4:00 am, ET.

4.    USD- U.S. GDP- Gross Domestic Product, the main measure of economic activity and growth in the world’s largest economy, Tues., Nov. 24, 8:30 am, ET.

5.    USD- U.S. Consumer Confidence Index of the outlook of consumers on present and future economic conditions, Tues., Nov. 24, 10:00 am, ET.

6.    USD- U.S. FOMC- Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Minutes, a record of the Fed’s monetary policy meeting that could provide an outlook on the economy, inflation and the Fed’s future monetary policy, Tues., Nov. 24, 2:00 pm, ET.

7.    GBP- U.K. GDP- Gross Domestic Product, the main measure of economic activity and growth, Wed., Nov. 25, 4:30 am, ET. 

8.    USD- U.S. Personal Income and Outlays, an important gauge of consumer spending measuring the income received and purchases made by consumers, and U.S. Durable Goods Orders, a leading indicator of economic activity measuring orders placed with domestic manufacturers for immediate and future delivery of factory hard goods, Wed., Nov. 25, 8:30 am, ET.

9.    USD- U.S. Consumer Sentiment, the University of Michigan’s monthly survey of 500 households on their outlook of current and future economic conditions, and U.S. New Home Sales, a gauge of housing market conditions measuring the number of newly constructed homes with a committed sale during the previous month, Wed., Nov. 25, 10:00 am, ET.

10.   JPY- Japan CPI- Consumer Price Index, the main measure of inflation, Thurs., Nov. 26, 6:30 pm, ET.