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, March 6, 2026. The day will be headlined by the highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report, alongside the unemployment rate and average hourly earnings data. Additionally, retail sales figures and core retail sales numbers will provide insights into consumer spending patterns, offering a comprehensive view of the U.S. economy's health as markets digest these key indicators.
Major Economic Events to Watch
- 8:30 AM ET - Nonfarm Payrolls (Forecast:58K, Previous: 130K): Measures the change in the number of people employed during the previous month, excluding the farming industry, serving as the foremost indicator of consumer spending and overall economic activity.
- 8:30 AM ET - Unemployment Rate (Forecast:4.3%, Previous: 4.3%): Measures the percentage of the total work force that is unemployed and actively seeking employment during the previous month.
- 8:30 AM ET - Average Hourly Earnings (Forecast:0.3%, Previous: 0.4%): Measures the change in the price businesses pay for labor, not including the agricultural sector.
- 8:30 AM ET - Retail Sales (Forecast:-0.3%, Previous: 0.0%): Measures the change in the total value of sales at the retail level, serving as the foremost indicator of consumer spending which accounts for the majority of overall economic activity.
- 8:30 AM ET - Core Retail Sales (Forecast:0.1%, Previous: 0.0%): Measures the change in the total value of sales at the retail level in the U.S., excluding automobiles, providing an important indicator of consumer spending and the pace of the U.S. economy.
Other Important Economic Events to Watch
- 6:30 AM ET - Factory Orders (Previous:-0.7%): Measures the change in the total value of new purchase orders placed with manufacturers, including revisions to Durable Goods Orders and new data on non-durable goods orders.
- 8:30 AM ET - Private Nonfarm Payrolls (Forecast:65K, Previous: 172K): Measures the change in the total number of paid U.S. workers of any business, excluding government employees, private household employees, nonprofit organization employees, and farm employees.
- 8:30 AM ET - Average Hourly Earnings (Forecast:3.7%, Previous: 3.7%): Year-over-year measure of the change in the price businesses pay for labor.
- 8:30 AM ET - Participation Rate (Previous:62.5%): Measures the share of the working-age population either working or looking for work, serving as an important indicator of labor supply.
- 8:30 AM ET - Retail Control (Forecast:0.2%, Previous:-0.1%): A component of retail sales used in GDP calculations.
- 10:00 AM ET - Business Inventories (Forecast:0.1%, Previous:0.1%): Measures the change in the worth of unsold goods held by manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.
- 10:00 AM ET - Retail Inventories Ex Auto (Forecast:0.2%, Previous:0.2%): Measures the change in retail inventories excluding automobiles.
- 10:15 AM ET - FOMC Member Daly Speaks: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly's public engagement, often used to provide subtle clues regarding future monetary policy.
- 12:00 PM ET - Atlanta Fed GDPNow (Forecast:3.0%, Previous:3.0%): A running estimate of real GDP growth based on available economic data for the current measured quarter.
- 1:00 PM ET - Baker Hughes U.S. Rig Count (Previous:407): An important business barometer for the oil drilling industry, acting as a leading indicator of demand for oil products.
- 1:00 PM ET - U.S. Baker Hughes Total Rig Count (Previous:550): Total count of active drilling rigs in the United States.
- 3:00 PM ET - Consumer Credit (Forecast:12.40B, Previous:24.05B): Measures the change in the total value of outstanding consumer credit that requires installment payments, closely correlated with consumer spending and confidence.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC S&P 500 Speculative Positions (Previous:-193.5K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in S&P 500 futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Nasdaq 100 Speculative Positions (Previous:10.8K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in Nasdaq 100 futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Gold Speculative Positions (Previous:159.2K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in gold futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Crude Oil Speculative Positions (Previous:172.7K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in crude oil futures markets.
- Fed Goolsbee Speaks: Federal Reserve official's public remarks that may provide insights into monetary policy outlook.
Other Economic Events to Watch
- 6:30 AM ET - Factory Orders Ex Transportation (Previous:0.4%): Measures the change in the total value of new purchase orders placed with manufacturers, excluding all orders related to the transportation industry.
- 8:30 AM ET - Government Payrolls (Previous:-42.0K): Measures the change in the number of government employees.
- 8:30 AM ET - Manufacturing Payrolls (Previous:5K): Measures the change in the number of manufacturing sector employees.
- 8:30 AM ET - Average Weekly Hours (Forecast:34.3, Previous:34.3): Measures the average number of hours worked by employees on non-farm payrolls.
- 8:30 AM ET - U6 Unemployment Rate (Previous:8.0%): Broader measure of unemployment including all persons marginally attached to the labor force and those employed part-time for economic reasons.
- 8:30 AM ET - Retail Sales (Previous:2.43%): Year-over-year measure of retail sales change.
- 8:30 AM ET - Retail Sales Ex Gas/Autos (Forecast:0.0%, Previous:0.0%): Retail sales excluding the volatile gas and auto components.
- 10:00 AM ET - Wholesale Inventories (Previous:0.2%): Measures the change in the total value of goods held in inventory by wholesalers.
- 1:20 PM ET - Fed Collins Speaks: Federal Reserve official's public remarks that may provide insights into monetary policy outlook.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Soybeans Speculative Positions (Previous:210.3K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in soybeans futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Corn Speculative Positions (Previous:8.8K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in corn futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Wheat Speculative Positions (Previous:-16.1K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in wheat futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Natural Gas Speculative Positions (Previous:-198.5K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in natural gas futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Silver Speculative Positions (Previous:22.3K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in silver futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Copper Speculative Positions (Previous:58.4K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in copper futures markets.
- 3:30 PM ET - CFTC Aluminium Speculative Net Positions (Previous:-2.9K): Weekly breakdown of net positions for speculative traders in aluminium futures markets.