This Week: Consumer prices, Disney earns, US retail sales

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:

INFLATION SURGE?

A key measure of U.S. inflation is expected to have increased in April for the third straight month.

Economists project the Labor Department’s consumer price index, due out Wednesday, increased 3.6% over the past 12 months. That would follow annual increases of 2.6% in March and 1.7% in February. One reason for the big annual increases is last year prices tumbled as much of the world went into a pandemic lockdown.

Consumer price index, annual percent change, not seasonally adjusted:

Nov. 1.2

Dec. 1.4

Jan. 1.4

Feb. 1.7

March 2.6

April (est.) 3.6

Source: FactSet

SPOTLIGHT ON DISNEY

Walt Disney serves up its fiscal second-quarter results Thursday.

Wall Street expects the entertainment giant’s earnings and revenue declined in the January-March quarter versus a year earlier. That would echo the company’s results in its fiscal first quarter. While its video streaming service has been growing fast, the pandemic has weighed heavily on many of Disney’s other businesses, especially its theme parks. Disneyland reopened just last month after a 13-month closure.

SIZING UP RETAIL SALES

The Commerce Department delivers its April tally of U.S. retail sales Friday.

Economists predict sales grew a seasonally adjusted 0.5% last month, a sharp slowdown from the stunning 9.8% jump in March, when many Americans went shopping after receiving $1,400 stimulus checks. That March increase was the biggest since May of last year, when stores reopened after closing at the start of the pandemic. Retail spending covers about a third of all consumer spending.

Retail sales, monthly percent change, seasonally adjusted:

Nov. -1.3

Dec. -1.3

Jan. 7.7

Feb. -2.7

March 9.8

April (est.) 0.5

Source: FactSet