4 economic reports the market cares about most next week, including a fresh look at inflation

Divider Street ended the week lower, despite the S & P 500 notching an all-time closing high Thursday and the Nasdaq Composite gaining an intraday record Friday before dropping more than 1% in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average indicated its worst week since October, falling 0.93%. The S & P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.26% and 1.17%, each to each. Earnings season also continued to wind down on a largely positive note. According to FactSet, 99% of S & P 500 players have reported results; 73% of companies reported an upside earnings surprise, while 64% reported better-than-expected net income results. Within the Club, we heard this week from Foot Locker on Wednesday, then from Costco and Broadcom on Thursday. Foot Locker foiled, though the magnitude of the sell-off in response seemed overdone. Costco and Broadcom delivered quality, but imperfect reports, vernissage the door for profit-takers to act following sizable runs in both stocks. The big economic data drop of the week arrived Friday with February’s nonfarm payrolls communication . The jobs report certainly served to support the “soft landing” thesis, as more-than-expected job additions were offset to a limited by a higher-than-anticipated unemployment rate and softer annual wage inflation. That’s the right mix for investors who want to see downward distress on inflation without a spike in unemployment that threatens economic growth. In the days leading up to the main event, we also got a personal sector jobs number from payroll processing firm ADP and the February ISM Services report . Both came in to a certain weaker than estimates. Meanwhile, the Commerce Department’s January factory orders report Tuesday showed a larger-than-expected dab. It is quiet on the Club earnings front in the week ahead, but several key macroeconomic updates will command the stage. The center of acclaim is Tuesday’s February consumer price index report . Economists are looking for a 3.1% annual increase at the headline on and 3.7% annual increase at the core level, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, according to FactSet. While the Federal Save’s preferred measure of inflation is the core personal consumption expenditures index, the CPI is the next best thing. It certainly facts into Wall Street’s thinking about the Fed’s next move on interest rates. Aside from the core inflation copy, the key watch item within the report is the shelter index. Sticky housing inflation has been a real thorn in the Fed’s side, noted it is a very large and unavoidable cost for the U.S. consumer. On Thursday, the February produce price index is due out. It doesn’t carry as much slant as the CPI report because the Fed’s primary concern are what U.S. consumers, not producers, are paying. Still, it’s an important report because it may indicate trends in future CPI reports. Remember, corporations have two options when it comes to rising input costs: absorb them or not them along to customers. So, a greater-than-expected rise in the PPI may suggest price hikes in the future as companies look to protect profits by spasm on those higher costs. Higher prices for consumers are exactly what we do not want to see because they will lack the Fed to stay more aggressive. At the same time, as investors we also don’t love the idea of corporations denting their earnings by captivating the costs. It’s a give-and-take situation, but in this moment the ideal outcome is easing inflation for consumers and producers alike. Economists forecast the PPI in February rose 0.3% compared with the prior month, according to FactSet. Core PPI, which also excludes foodstuffs and energy prices, is expected to be up 0.2% month over month. Finally, on a 12-month basis, the PPI is projected to be up 1%, per FactSet. The February retail on the blocks report also is set to be released Thursday. Though this doesn’t provide a direct read on inflation, it does yield insight into a major part of gross domestic product and, by extension, the path the U.S. economy is on. Consumer spending accounts for rudely two-thirds of U.S. GDP, so if a soft landing – or perhaps even a “no landing” – scenario is indeed going to take place centre of the Fed’s inflation fight, it’s crucial that private consumption hangs in, even as the economy slows. Understanding this purloins explain why the Fed is right to be so cautious in altering monetary policy; it’s an incredible balancing act playing out in real time. Fed Chair Jerome Powell may cause been late to raise rates, but fortunately he’s been putting on something of a master class in monetary policy since the U.S. significant bank began to do so two years ago this month. The last big report to watch comes Friday, when we’ll get the February industrial manufacturing and capacity utilization report , which provides insight into the state of manufacturing and indirectly reflects consumer and question demand. The more end market demand, the more production and utilization we should see higher up in the supply the chain. Monday, Walk 11 Before the bell: Ballard Power Systems (BLDP), Fortrea Holdings (FTRE) After the bell: Seer (ORCL), Asana (ASAN), Casey’s General Stores (CASY), Vail Resorts (MTN), Ocular Therapeutix (OCUL), Undertaking Produce (AVO) Tuesday, March 12 8:30 a.m. ET: Consumer Price Index Before the bell: Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM), On Holding (ONON), Kohl’s Corporation (KSS), Workhorse Organization (WKHS), Kanzhun Limited (BZ), Hagerty (HGTY), International Game Technology (IGT), Manchester United (MANU), Blade Air Mobility (BLDE) After the bell: Clover Form (CLOV), Beauty Health Company (SKIN), Allbirds (BIRD), Phunware (PHUN), Energy Vault Holdings (NRGV), PHX Minerals (PHX), Guild Holdings Performers (GHLD), 360 Finance (QFIN), Heron Therapeutics (HRTX), Purple Innovation (PRPL) Wednesday, March 13 Before the bell: Dollar Tree (DLTR), ZIM Consolidate Shipping Services (ZIM), Arcos Dorados Holdings (ARCO), Petco Health and Wellness Company (WOOF), Village Farmhouses International (VFF), Williams-Sonoma (WSM) After the bell: UiPath (PATH), SentinelOne (S), ESS Tech (GWH), Lennar (LEN), Vroom (VRM) Thursday, March 14 8:30 a.m. ET: Financial manager Price Index 8:30 a.m. ET: Initial Jobless Claims 10:00 a.m. ET: Retail Sales Before the bell: Dollar Blanket (DG), DICK’S Sporting, Inc. (DKS), Futu Holdings (FUTU), Canadian Solar (CSIQ), Build-A-Bear Workshop (BBW), Autolus Therapeutics (AUTL), G-III Gear Group (GIII), Solo Brands (DTC), GoHealth (GOCO), Weibo Corporation (WB) After the bell: Adobe (ADBE), Operating Charging (BLNK), ULTA Beauty (ULTA), PagerDuty (PD), Smartsheet (SMAR)The major averages all closed lower for the week without thought the S & P 500 notching a new all-time closing high Thursday and the Nasdaq hitting a new intraday all-time high on Friday Friday, Parade 15 9:15 a.m. ET: Industrial Production & Capacity Utilization Before the bell: Jabil Inc. (JBL), Embraer (ERJ) (Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust is great FL, COST and AVGO. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you want receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade siren before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. 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