As markets prepare for a congested economic calendar on Thursday, April 9, 2026, a suite of high-profile data releases is set to arrive that market participants say could shape trading behavior. Headlining the day are the Core PCE Price Index - the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge - Initial Jobless Claims, offering a near-term read on labor market conditions, and GDP, the broadest measure of economic activity. All three are scheduled for release at 7:30 AM ET.
The consolidated timetable for the day brings together monthly and annual measures of price change, labor market flows and output, as well as a sequence of other reports that span commodities, Treasury issuance and central bank balance-sheet data. Below is a structured summary of the releases and the numerical forecasts and prior figures that will accompany them.
Major economic events to watch (7:30 AM ET unless otherwise noted)
- Core PCE Price Index - Forecast 0.4%, Previous 0.4% - This monthly measure tracks changes in consumer prices excluding food and energy and is the Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of underlying inflation.
- Initial Jobless Claims - Forecast 210K, Previous 202K - This weekly series counts the number of people filing for unemployment insurance for the first time and provides an early read on labor market trends.
- GDP - Forecast 0.7%, Previous 0.7% - The gross domestic product number measures the annualized change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods and services produced and is the broadest indicator of economic health.
Other important economic events scheduled
- Continuing Jobless Claims - Forecast 1,840K, Previous 1,841K - The continuing claims series measures the number of unemployed people who are currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits.
- Core PCE Prices (annual) - Forecast 2.70%, Previous 2.70% - The annualized core PCE rate excludes food and energy and reports year-over-year consumer price change.
- GDP Price Index - Forecast 3.8%, Previous 3.8% - This is the annualized price change component for all goods and services in GDP, serving as a broad inflation gauge for the economy.
- PCE Price Index (monthly) - Forecast 0.4%, Previous 0.3% - The monthly PCE gauge measures average price increases for all domestic personal consumption.
- Core PCE Price Index (annual) - Forecast 3.0%, Previous 3.1% - The annual core inflation measure excludes volatile food and energy prices.
- PCE Price Index (annual) - Forecast 2.8%, Previous 2.8% - The annual PCE rate records average price increases for domestic personal consumption.
- Personal Spending - Forecast 0.6%, Previous 0.4% - Measures the monthly change in inflation-adjusted consumer spending, which accounts for the majority of economic activity.
Midday and later releases and events
- 10:30 AM ET - Atlanta Fed GDPNow - Forecast 1.3%, Previous 1.3% - A running estimate of real GDP growth for the current quarter based on available data.
- 11:00 AM ET - WASDE Report - The monthly WASDE report presents USDA forecasts of U.S. and world supply-use balances for major grains, soybeans and cotton.
- 12:00 PM ET - 30-Year Bond Auction - Previous 4.871% - The auction sets yield on Treasury bonds with maturities up to 30 years.
- 3:30 PM ET - Fed’s Balance Sheet - Previous 6,675B - The weekly statement lists the assets and liabilities of the Federal Reserve System.
- 3:30 PM ET - Reserve Balances with Federal Reserve Banks - Previous 3.064T - This measures the amount of money depository institutions maintain in accounts at the Federal Reserve.
Additional items on the schedule
- Personal Income - Forecast 0.3%, Previous 0.4% - This series measures the change in total income received by consumers from all sources.
- Real Personal Consumption - Previous 0.1% - The inflation-adjusted measure of household consumption, divided between goods and services.
- GDP Sales - Forecast 0.4%, Previous 0.4% - The sales component used in the GDP calculation.
- Corporate Profits - Previous 4.7% - The net current-production income of corporations in the national accounts.
- Jobless Claims 4-Week Avg. - Previous 207.75K - The four-week moving average of initial jobless claims, used to smooth weekly volatility.
- Real Consumer Spending - Forecast 2.0%, Previous 2.0% - The inflation-adjusted amount spent by households in the U.S. economy.
- PCE Prices (annual) - Forecast 2.9%, Previous 2.9% - Annual measure of price changes for goods and services purchased by consumers.
- 9:00 AM ET - Dallas Fed PCE - Previous 2.70% - A trimmed-mean PCE inflation rate that excludes extreme price movements.
- 9:00 AM ET - Wholesale Inventories - Forecast -0.5%, Previous 0.2% - Measures the change in the total value of goods held in inventory by wholesalers.
- 9:00 AM ET - Wholesale Trade Sales - Previous 0.5% - The change in the total value of sales at the wholesale level.
- 9:30 AM ET - Natural Gas Storage - Forecast 41B, Previous 36B - Weekly change in cubic feet of natural gas held in underground storage.
- 10:30 AM ET - 4-Week Bill Auction - Previous 3.620% - Rate on Treasury bills auctioned with a four-week maturity.
- 10:30 AM ET - 8-Week Bill Auction - Previous 3.620% - Rate on Treasury bills auctioned with an eight-week maturity.
What to watch
Thursday's combination of inflation gauges, labor-market flows, GDP and a number of related statistics creates a broadly informative picture of the economy for market participants to digest. The Core PCE Price Index and PCE Price Index figures will be examined for both monthly and annualized readings. Labor-market data, including initial and continuing jobless claims plus the four-week average, will provide near-term context on employment trends. GDP and the GDP Price Index will supply the latest on economic growth and the price component within GDP. Treasury-related items - from the 30-year bond auction to bill sales and the Fed's weekly balance-sheet report - add further market-relevant supply and liquidity information. Commodity and sector-specific inputs such as the WASDE report and natural gas storage figures will offer additional, targeted data points.
Note on timing and updates
Most headline releases are concentrated at 7:30 AM ET. Several other items will be reported through the morning and into the afternoon. For the most current timing and any unexpected schedule changes, consult the live economic calendar maintained by market information providers.
Summary
April 9, 2026 presents a compacted set of high-impact economic releases. Core PCE, initial jobless claims and GDP lead the morning slate at 7:30 AM ET, complemented by a wide set of additional price, income, spending and market liquidity indicators distributed across the morning and afternoon. Treasury auctions, the WASDE crop balance update and the Fed's balance-sheet figures complete a full day of data that could influence market positioning.