The Week Ahead

Sept. 13-17, 2004

13 Monday

Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans announces data for the first new economic indicator to be introduced by the Census Bureau in 40 years -- a measure for the service sector.

Two-day workshop on consumers and class-action suits opens, sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission and Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics.

Economic indicators: Federal government's monthly budget statement.

14 Tuesday

U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick signs free-trade agreement with Bahrain's minister of finance and national economy, Abdulla Hassan Saif.

House Financial Services subcommittee holds hearing on credit-rating agencies.

Economic indicators: Current account balance for second quarter, retail sales for August.

15 Wednesday

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC) meets in Vienna.

Senate Banking Committee holds hearing on terrorist financing.

Economic indicators: Business inventories for July, industrial production and capacity utilization for August.

16 Thursday

John K. Veroneau, general counsel for the U.S. trade representative's office, is in Brussels to discuss the dispute over subsidies for Airbus.

Federal Reserve governor Edward M. Gramlich speaks on oil and monetary policy in Kansas City.

Economic indicators: Consumer price index for August.

17 Friday

Economic indicators: University of Michigan preliminary survey of consumer confidence for September.