A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week SPOTLIGHT ON HOUSINGThe National Association of Realtors releases its monthly snapshot of existing U.S. home sales Wednesday. Economists project that sales of previously occupied homes slowed slightly in April from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.18 million homes. The spring homebuying season is off to a sluggish start this year as home shoppers contend with elevated mortgage rates and rising prices. Existing home sales, in millions, seasonally adjusted annual rate: Nov. 3.91 Dec. 3.88 Jan. 4.00 Feb. 4.38 March 4.19 April (est.) 4.18 Source: FactSet FED CLOSE-UPThe Federal Reserve delivers the minutes from its most recent interest rate policy meeting Wednesday. At that meeting, Fed officials emphasized that inflation has remained stubbornly high in recent months and said the central bank doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has greater confidence that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target. Several hotter-than-expected reports on prices and economic growth have recently undercut the Fed’s belief that inflation was steadily easing. |
South China theater festival to showcase outstanding classicsMedical insurance fund remains strong, despite aging population'Xi Jinping on the Belt and Road Initiative' informs and inspires readers in ChileHayao Miyazaki's animated fantasy stays atop Chinese box officeThis Morning's Alison Hammond cosies up to mystery man as pals claim she's 'never been happier'Woman, 45, suffers horrific and rare reaction to IBUPROFENLorenzen goes 5 innings in Texas debut as Rangers blank Tigers 1Chinese vice president meets Cambodian King, Queen MotherVo Thi Anh Xuan named as Vietnamese acting president14 killed, 37 injured in passenger bus crash in north China