The Week Ahead: The Fed's Reading on the Economy

As we head into September, Labor Day will leave the markets closed on Monday. Earnings releases are finally slowing down, with Lululemon LULU and Guidewire GWRE among those reporting.

The Federal Reserve will publish its commentary on current economic conditions on Wednesday. In this report, all 12 regional districts conduct interviews with key business contacts, economists, market experts, and other sources. After August's volatility, the Fed's insight on our current economic conditions is much-needed.

Other economic reports this week include natural gas and crude-oil inventories on Thursday, and on Friday, the Labor Department updates August's unemployment rate and average hourly earnings.

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating e-cigarette startup Juul Labs for targeting minors in their marketing campaigns. The investigation timing is aligning with Philip Morris International PM and Altria's MO discussion for a potential all-stock merger.

Part of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese-made goods is scheduled to go into effect Sunday. It's unclear whether trade-war tensions will continue to escalate or reach phases of agreement; investors are buckled in for macro volatility for the time being.