A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming next week.
LAYOFFS UPDATE
The Labor Department issues its weekly tally of new unemployment benefit claims on Thursday.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits held steady two weeks ago to a seasonally adjusted 219,000. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs.
Initial jobless benefit claims, weekly, seasonally adjusted:
Nov. 15: 215,000
Nov. 22: 215,000
Nov. 29: 225,000
Dec. 6: 242,000
Dec. 13: 220,000
Dec. 20: 219,000
Source: FactSet
KICKING OFF 2025
Also Thursday, U.S. financial markets re-open for the first trading day of 2025.
U.S. stocks could be hard pressed to duplicate 2024's gains, especially the S&P 500, which was pushed to 57 all-time highs by a growing economy and a trio of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Big Tech, bitcoin and gold also look like big winners.
MORTGAGE RATES
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac on Thursday delivers its weekly snapshot of average U.S. home loan rates.
Last week, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 6.85%. Elevated mortgage rates and rising home prices have sidelined many would-be homebuyers and put home sales on track for their worst year since 1995.
Average rate on the benchmark 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, weekly:
Nov. 21: 6.84
Nov. 27: 6.81
Dec. 5: 6.69
Dec. 12: 6.60
Dec. 19: 6.72
Dec. 26: 6.85
Source: Freddie Mac
Before you consider Freddie Mac, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Freddie Mac wasn't on the list.
While Freddie Mac currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Market downturns give many investors pause, and for good reason. Wondering how to offset this risk? Enter your email address to learn more about using beta to protect your portfolio.
Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.
Link copied to clipboard.
