Business events scheduled for the coming month

WASHINGTON -- Institute for Supply Management releases its manufacturing index for March, 10 a.m.; Commerce Department releases construction spending for February, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, April 3

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases factory orders for February, 10 a.m.; Federal Reserve releases minutes from March interest-rate meeting.

DETROIT -- Automakers release vehicle sales for March.

WEDNESDAY, April 4

WASHINGTON -- Institute for Supply Management releases its service sector index for March, 10 a.m.

FRANKFURT, Germany -- European Central Bank governing council meets in Frankfurt to decide interest rates.

BERLIN -- Germany releases industrial orders figures for February.

LISBON, Portugal -- Portugal seeks to raise up to $2 billion at an auction of 18-month Treasury bills

THURSDAY, April 5

WASHINGTON -- Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.

NEW YORK -- Selected chain retailers release March sales comparisons.

FRIDAY, April 6

WASHINGTON -- Labor Department releases employment data for March, 8:30 a.m.; Federal Reserve releases consumer credit data for February, 3 p.m.

U.S. stock market is closed for Good Friday.

TUESDAY, April 10

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases wholesale trade inventories for February, 10 a.m.; Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for February, 10 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, April 11

WASHINGTON -- Treasury releases federal budget for March, 2 p.m.; Federal Reserve releases Beige Book, 2 p.m.

THURSDAY, April 12

WASHINGTON -- Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Labor Department releases the Producer Price Index for March, 8:30 a.m.; Commerce Department releases international trade data for February, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.

FRIDAY, April 13

WASHINGTON -- Labor Department releases Consumer Price Index for March, 8:30 a.m.

MONDAY, April 16

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases retail sales data for March, 8:30 a.m.; Treasury releases international money flows data for February, 9 a.m.; National Association of Home Builders releases housing market index for April, 10 a.m.; Commerce Department releases business inventories for February, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, April 17

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases housing starts for March, 8:30 a.m.; Federal Reserve releases industrial production for March, 9:15 a.m.

BERLIN -- Germany releases its monthly investor confidence index.

THURSDAY, April 19

WASHINGTON -- Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.; National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for March, 10 a.m.; Conference Board releases leading indicators for March, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, April 24

WASHINGTON -- Standard & Poor's releases S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices for February, 9 a.m.; Commerce Department releases new home sales for March, 10 a.m.; The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index for April, 10 a.m.; Federal Reserve policymakers meet to set interest rates.

WEDNESDAY, April 25

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases durable goods for March, 8:30 a.m.; Federal Reserve policymakers meet to set interest rates.

THURSDAY, April 26

WASHINGTON -- Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.; National Association of Realtors releases pending home sales index for March, 10 a.m.

FRIDAY, April 27

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases first-quarter gross domestic product, 8:30 a.m.; Labor Department releases the first-quarter employment cost index, 8:30 a.m.

MONDAY, April 30

WASHINGTON -- Commerce Department releases personal income and spending for March, 8:30 a.m.