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Stock Markets February 6, 2026

Quiet Data Day: Fed’s Waller and Bostic Set to Speak, Markets Watch for Policy Cues

Two Fed officials take the stage on a light economic calendar, with Treasury bill auctions and employment trend data also in focus

By Leila Farooq
Quiet Data Day: Fed’s Waller and Bostic Set to Speak, Markets Watch for Policy Cues

Monday, February 9, 2026, brings remarks from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic that market participants will parse for insights on the central bank’s policy stance. With no major economic releases scheduled, traders will also track the CB Employment Trends Index and two Treasury bill auctions for signals on labor-market momentum and demand for short-term government debt.

Key Points

  • Speeches by Fed Governor Christopher Waller (1:30 PM ET) and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic (3:15 PM ET) are the primary focus on a day with no three-star economic releases.
  • The CB Employment Trends Index at 10:00 AM ET and simultaneous 3-month and 6-month Treasury bill auctions at 11:30 AM ET (previous yields 3.600% and 3.525%, respectively) provide additional data points on labor-market momentum and demand for short-term government debt.
  • Given the light macro calendar, tone from Fed officials and auction demand may disproportionately influence short-term pricing in financial markets, including Treasury yields and sectors sensitive to interest-rate expectations.

As markets prepare for the start of the trading week on Monday, February 9, 2026, attention will concentrate on public remarks from two Federal Reserve officials that could shed light on the central bank’s policy outlook. Although the calendar lacks any three-star economic releases, investors are likely to scrutinize comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic for indications about the trajectory of interest rates.

The appearances occur against a backdrop of continuing scrutiny of the Fed’s policy orientation and its assessment of economic conditions. Traders searching for incremental signals may place greater weight on the tone and content of these speeches in a session otherwise light on headline data.

Major Economic Events to Watch

No three-star economic events are scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2026.

Other Important Economic Events to Watch

  • 1:30 PM ET - Fed Governor Christopher Waller Speaks: Market participants will listen for commentary that could illuminate the Fed’s current monetary policy thinking and economic assessment.
  • 3:15 PM ET - FOMC Member Raphael Bostic Speaks: The public remarks from the Atlanta Fed president may offer subtle clues about future monetary policy direction.
  • 10:00 AM ET - CB Employment Trends Index (Previous: 104.27): This composite of eight labor-market indicators provides a broad perspective on employment trends.
  • 11:30 AM ET - 3-Month Bill Auction (Previous: 3.600%): Auction results will be watched for evidence of investor demand for short-term government debt.
  • 11:30 AM ET - 6-Month Bill Auction (Previous: 3.525%): This concurrent auction will offer additional insight into medium-term borrowing rates and investor sentiment.

With limited scheduled headline data, the market reaction to speeches by Waller and Bostic and the results of the Treasury bill auctions may play an outsized role in shaping expectations for interest rate decisions. Observers are likely to weigh any nuance in officials’ public remarks alongside auction outcomes and the CB Employment Trends Index reading.

For traders and analysts seeking updates throughout the day, an economic calendar will list real-time developments and any changes to scheduled events.

Risks

  • Unclear or mixed signals from Fed speeches could increase uncertainty in financial markets - impacting bond yields and interest-rate-sensitive sectors such as banking and financials.
  • Weak investor demand at the 3-month and 6-month Treasury bill auctions could raise short-term borrowing costs or indicate shifts in market sentiment - affecting the Treasury market and money-market instruments.
  • A surprising reading in the CB Employment Trends Index compared with expectations could alter market views on labor-market strength and influence rate expectations - with potential implications for broader equity and fixed-income markets.

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