As traders approach another pivotal day for financial markets, a series of crucial economic data releases that could sway market dynamics are expected on Friday, February 28, 2025. The spotlight will be on the Core PCE Price Index, a key inflation indicator closely watched by the Federal Reserve. This release, along with other important economic reports, has the potential to influence market sentiment and monetary policy expectations.

Major Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET - Core PCE Price Index (Feb): Forecast 0.3%, Previous 0.2%. This crucial inflation measure excludes food and energy prices.

Other Important Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET - Personal Spending (Feb): Forecast 0.2%, Previous 0.7%. Measures change in inflation-adjusted consumer spending.

• 8:30 AM ET - PCE Price Index (Feb): Forecast 0.3%, Previous 0.3%. Broad measure of inflation in consumer spending.

• 8:30 AM ET - PCE Price Index (YoY) (Feb): Forecast 2.5%, Previous 2.6%. Year-over-year change in consumer prices.

• 8:30 AM ET - Core PCE Price Index (YoY) (Feb): Forecast 2.6%, Previous 2.8%. Annual change in core consumer prices.

• 8:30 AM ET - Retail Inventories Ex Auto (Feb): Previous -0.1%. Measures change in retail inventories excluding automobiles.

• 8:30 AM ET - Goods Trade Balance (Feb): Forecast -$116.90B, Previous -$122.01B. Difference between imported and exported goods.

• 9:45 AM ET - Chicago PMI (Feb): Forecast 40.5, Previous 39.5. Indicates manufacturing sector health in the Chicago region.

• 10:30 AM ET - Atlanta Fed GDPNow (Q1): Previous 2.3%. Running estimate of real GDP growth for the current quarter.

• 1:00 PM ET - Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR ) U.S. Rig Count: Previous 488. Indicator of drilling activity in the oil industry.

• 1:00 PM ET - U.S. Baker Hughes Total Rig Count: Previous 592. Total number of active drilling rigs in the U.S.

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC S&P 500 speculative positions: Previous -40.0K. Net positions held by speculative traders.

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Nasdaq 100 speculative positions: Previous 9.8K. Speculative positions in Nasdaq 100 futures .

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Gold speculative positions: Previous 268.7K. Net speculative positions in gold futures .

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Crude Oil speculative positions: Previous 197.6K. Speculative positions in crude oil futures.

Other Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET - Personal Income (Feb): Forecast 0.4%, Previous 0.4%. Measures change in total consumer income.

• 8:30 AM ET - Real Personal Consumption (Feb): Previous 0.4%. Inflation-adjusted measure of consumer spending.

• 8:30 AM ET - Wholesale Inventories (Feb): Forecast 0.1%, Previous -0.5%. Change in total value of goods held by wholesalers.

• 9:00 AM ET - Dallas Fed PCE (Feb): Previous 2.80%. Alternative measure of core inflation.

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Aluminium speculative net positions: Previous 2.8K. Net speculative positions in aluminum futures.

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Copper speculative positions: Previous 22.1K. Speculative positions in copper futures .

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Silver speculative positions: Previous 54.5K. Net speculative positions in silver futures .

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Natural Gas speculative positions: Previous -94.6K. Speculative positions in natural gas futures .

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Wheat speculative positions: Previous -36.8K. Net speculative positions in wheat futures.

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Corn speculative positions: Previous 468.7K. Speculative positions in corn futures.

• 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Soybeans speculative positions: Previous -5.6K. Net speculative positions in soybean futures.

For further information and the latest updates, please refer to our Economic Calendar, here .

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.