The economic week ahead

Well, the Fed finally pulled the trigger last week, not on another rate hike but rather the October launch date for quantitative tightening, and the sky didn’t fall. The message remained clear, however, that the majority at the Fed expect to hike once more this year and again three times in 2018 until they reach a lower “new normalization” level on the Fed funds target in 2.5-3.0% area. Europe heats up again, with German coalition talks ahead in the wake of Sunday’s national election and a fresh round of Brexit talks on tap after UK PM May’s keynote speech last week.

United States: The U.S. economic calendar is a healthy one too heading into quarter-end, starting with the Chicago Fed National Activity index (Monday). The Case-Shiller home price index (Tuesday) is forecast to rise 0.7% in July. Consumer confidence (Tuesday) is set to slip to 122.0 in September and new home sales (Tuesday) may drop 1.9% to a 560k pace in August. The MBA mortgage application report is due (Wednesday).The distorting effects from the hurricanes have left many of the estimates anyone’s guess, though there won’t be much impact on the third and final print for Q2 GDP (Thursday). Advanced indicators goods trade deficit (Thursday) is expected to widen to -$65.1 bln vs -$63.9 bln, while initial jobless claims may or may not settle 1k higher at 260k after a relatively smooth ride last week despite the hurricane impact the week prior. Personal income and spending are expected to have inched up 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively in August (Friday), while consumer confidence measures are expected to dip, but from high levels. Core PCE prices are seen up 0.2%. September Chicago PMI and final Michigan sentiment are also on tap to round out the week.

Fedspeak: is heavy this week, with 12 Committee members scheduled. The commentary will give the markets a notion of current thinking in the wake of the FOMC. Monday brings NY’s Dudley, Chicago’s Evans, and Minneapolis’ Kashkari. Evans’ topic is monetary policy. Tuesday has Fed Chair Yellen’s keynote speech at the NABE conference. Cleveland Fed’s Mester also moderates a session at NABE. Atlanta Fed’s Bostic speaks at the Atlanta Press Club. St Louis Fed’s Bullard discusses monetary policy and the economy Wednesday, while Philly Fed’s Rosengren also speaks on policy. Thursday brings KC’s George on monetary policy and the economy. Fed VC Fischer will be at a conference in London, but he is retiring next month. Note that this year’s FOMC voters include Dudley, Evans, Kaplan, and Kashkari, while 2018 voters include Dudley, Bostic, Mester, and Williams.

Canada: A speech by Governor Poloz highlights this week’s calendar. He appears Wednesday at the St. John’s Board of Trade, with the text of his prepared speech available at 11:45 ET. The appearance follows Deputy Governor Lane’s speech last week, who said that the Bank is paying close attention to the impact of the stronger Canadian dollar and that possible changes to NAFTA are a key source of uncertainty for Canada’s outlook.As for the data, July GDP will be the focus on the rather lean docket, which expected ta a 0.1% gain in July GDP. The industrial product price index (IPPI) is expected to expand 0.5% in August. Another sizable gain for the loonie will hold back the IPPI, but higher gasoline and commodity prices are expected to ultimately drive the index higher relative to July. Average weekly earnings for July are due Thursday. The CFIB’s Business Barometer index of small and medium sized business sentiment for September is also due Thursday.

Europe: It’s an action packed week, with German coalition talks following Sunday’s election, a new round of Brexit talks as well as plenty of key data releases and ECBspeakers, including Draghi’s address to lawmakers on Monday. Draghi’s address to lawmakers (Monday) is likely to repeat that the Eurozone economy is recovering, but also that this still hinges on ongoing monetary accommodation, thus justifying the likely extension of QE into 2018, even if monthly purchase levels are expected to be scaled back. Data releases include preliminary inflation data for September and the last set of confidence indicators in the form of Ifo and ESI readings, all of which should back the ECB’s benign central scenario. The data week starts with the German Ifo business climate (Monday), and Eurozone ESI Economic Confidence (Thursday). Markit said that PMI numbers for Q3 point to a quarterly growth rate of 0.7% q/q, which would be a further strengthening from Q2, but even if that proves a tad too optimistic, the recovery clearly continues to broaden across sectors and countries, which is a very good sign and is also underpinning ongoing improvement on labor markets. German sa jobless numbers for August are seen down which would leave the jobless rate at a low 5.7%. Conditions are also improving elsewhere even if more structural reforms are needed to bring especially youth unemployment down further.Indeed, the remaining slack in the labor market is one reason that wage growth has so far failed to pick up decisively and inflation remains modest.

UK: Sterling markets have settled on the November Monetary Policy Committee meeting as being the venue that the BoE will make its first rate hike in over 10 years. Meanwhile, the fourth round of Brexit negotiations will start on Monday. Prime Minister May rejected the Norwegian and Canadian models as being unsatisfactory for the UK while admitting that she is not pretending that you can have all the advantages of the single market with none of the disadvantages. Sterling took a knock on this news as it affirms that the government is aiming for a “hard exit” from the EU. May also announced that she wants a two-year “implementation period,” beyond Brexit day in March 2019, which is something that the EU is widely seen as accepting. The calendar this week brings the September CBI distributive sales survey (Wednesday), the September Gfk consumer confidence survey (Thursday), the third estimate for Q2 GDP, along with the Q2 current account report and August BoE lending data (all due on Friday).

New Zealand: has Q2 GDP (Thursday), which expected to grow 0.9% after the 0.5% gain in Q1 (q/q, sa). The current account is expected to shift to a -NZ$100 mln deficit from the NZ$244 mln surplus in Q1. The general election will take place on Saturday. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand meets next on September 28. No change is expecred to the current 1.75% rate setting through year-end. Grant Spencer takes over as acting governor on September 27 for a six month stint. Governor Wheeler is retiring as his term ends. A permanent successor will be appointed in 2018.

Japan: In Japan, Tuesday brings August services PPI, which is forecast slowing modestly to 0.5% y/y from 0.6% previously. The remainder of releases come on Friday, and begin with August national CPI, which is penciled in at up 0.6% y/y from 0.4% overall, and up 0.7% y/y from 0.5% on a core basis. However, Tokyo overall September CPI is seen slipping to 0.4% y/y from 0.5%, with core reading at 0.5% from 0.4%. August unemployment is estimated at an unchanged 2.8%. August industrial production is predicted to have risen 1.5% y/y from -0.8% in July. August retail sales can be expected to rebound 0.3% from -0.2% for large retailers, and a 2.5% y/y increase, from 1.8% overall. August housing starts are forecast at a -1.0% y/y clip, a slower pace of decline versus the -2.3% decline previously. August construction orders are also due.

China: In China, September Caixin/Markit manufacturing PMI (Friday) should slip to 51.5 from 51.6. The official CFLP manufacturing PMI is scheduled for a Saturday, release, and is expected at 51.6 from 51.7.

Australia: The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Assistant Governor (Financial Stability) Michele Bullock participates in a panel (Tuesday). Deputy Governor Debelle delivers a speech (Thursday) at the Bank of England conference in London. The data slate is lean, with August private sector credit due Friday.