Economic Calendar Summary - August 4, 2026

Market Overview

Financial markets are starting the session on a moderate note as investors analyze inflation data from the Asia-Pacific region and observe stabilization in the energy commodities market. The macroeconomic calendar for the day is relatively light, but key attention is directed towards the afternoon releases from North America.

Key Economic Releases

JOLTs Job Openings Report

The JOLTs job openings report from the US is the highlight of the day, expected to provide insights into the health of the American labor market, which is crucial for future Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.

Other Important Data

Additional data releases include US factory orders and Canadian PMI indicators, which will offer further insights into the dynamics of the manufacturing sector.

Asian Session Highlights

South Korea's annual consumer price inflation (CPI) has slowed to 2.8% YoY in July, falling short of the expected 3.0% YoY and the previous reading of 3.0% YoY. On a monthly basis, the CPI decreased by 0.2% MoM, which is also below the market consensus of a 0.1% MoM increase.

Macroeconomic Calendar

• 08:00 Romania - PPI Inflation YoY. Previous reading: 12.05%.
• 08:30 Australia - Commodity Prices Index YoY. Previous reading: 16.9%.
• 10:00 Italy - Retail Sales s.a. MoM. Consensus: 0.1%. Previous reading: 0.2%.
• 14:30 USA - Trade Balance. Consensus: -73.1B USD. Previous reading: -77.6B USD.
• 14:30 Canada - Trade Balance. Consensus: 3.1B CAD. Previous reading: 4.24B CAD.
• 15:30 Canada - Manufacturing PMI. Consensus: 50.5. Previous reading: 53.0.
• 16:00 USA - Factory Orders ex Transportation fin. MoM. Consensus: 0.6%. Previous reading: 1.8%.
• 16:00 USA - Durable Goods Orders fin. MoM. Consensus: 0.3%. Previous reading: -4.0%.
• 16:00 USA - Factory Orders MoM. Consensus: 0.2%. Previous reading: -1.3%.
• 16:00 USA - JOLTs Job Openings. Consensus: 7.45M. Previous reading: 7.594M.
• 22:40 USA - API Weekly Crude Oil Stock Change. Previous reading: 3.3M bbl.

Earnings Releases

Before Market Open:

• Merck & Company, Inc.
• Caterpillar Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.

After Market Close:

• SpaceX
• AMD
• Arista Networks
• Light & Wonder Inc.
• ONEOK Inc.

Markets to Watch

The following markets are expected to experience heightened activity:

• USD/CAD: Anticipated volatility due to simultaneous trade balance and manufacturing PMI releases from Canada, along with key US JOLTs data.
• S&P 500 (US500): The JOLTs report will influence the pricing of the Fed's interest rate trajectory, alongside quarterly earnings from major companies.
• Crude Oil (WTI / Brent): US factory orders data and the API crude inventory report will be critical for short-term energy demand pricing.