July Retail Sales Report Will Help Clarify Consumer Sentiment
The Census Bureau is expected to release monthly retail sales information for July on Wednesday. The data will provide another measure of consumer sentiment in the face of rising gas prices and an escalating trade dispute with China.
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— MICHAEL CORKERY
New Housing Data May Expose a Softening Market
At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, the Commerce Department will report data on new housing construction in July. New housing construction dipped in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.173 million, a nine-month low. It was another sign of weakness in a real estate market that has been hurt by higher mortgage rates, tariffs on Canadian lumber and changes in tax policy. Economists are looking for a slight rebound in July, but another drop would confirm fears that the housing market is softening.
— NELSON D. SCHWARTZ
In Amazon’s Online Shadow, Walmart Will Release Earnings
Walmart is scheduled to report its second-quarter results Thursday. Investors will be looking at whether the giant retailer’s investments in e-commerce services, like online grocery, continue to bolster revenue. Walmart has been testing a range of initiatives, from store robots to home delivery, in its quest to dent Amazon’s online dominance.
— MICHAEL CORKERY