The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to announce its interest rate decision following its September 15-16 meeting. Markets have largely priced in a 25 basis point rate hike, the first since July 2023, with significant attention on the accompanying Summary of Economic Projections and Chair's press conference for future policy guidance.
The U.S. Census Bureau is scheduled to release the Advance Monthly Retail Sales report for August 2026. This data is a critical indicator of consumer spending health and will be scrutinized alongside the Fed's policy decision to gauge the impact of current economic conditions on household demand.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis will release the third estimate of Q2 2026 GDP and the August Personal Income and Outlays report, which includes the PCE price index. As the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the PCE data will be a primary driver of market sentiment regarding the trajectory of future interest rate adjustments.