Reports to Watch

The week is full of key economic data from a variety of sectors.

• Housing data this week comes from the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index and New Home Sales on Tuesday. Pending Home Sales will be released on Thursday.
• Consumer Confidence will be released on Tuesday followed by the Consumer Sentiment Index on Friday.
• Durable Goods Orders and weekly Initial Jobless Claims will be delivered on Thursday.
• On Friday, Gross Domestic Product and the Chicago PMI will be released.

X Factor

Recent weakness in the U.S. economy could spell a dismal report when the Bureau of Economic Analysis releases its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers on Friday.

Currently, the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank is showing that GDP will fall to 0.5 percent, the lowest level since negative 1.2 percent was reported back in the first quarter of 2014.

Slowing Retail Sales, lower manufacturing numbers and a decline in the Consumer Price Index in March are key reasons for lower economic growth.

The silver lining is that those factors could keep home loan rates low in the next few months.