The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 55.5 in the preliminary March 2026 report, down from 56.6 in February. This represents a 1.9% monthly decline and marks the lowest reading of 2026 so far. 

The January 2026 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report, released on March 13, 2026, showed a significant increase in labor demand, with job openings rising to 6.946 million. This exceeded economist forecasts of 6.760 million and represents a rebound from the downwardly revised December figure of 6.550 million. 

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report for January 2026, released on March 13, 2026, showed that inflation remained stubbornly high, meeting or slightly exceeding market expectations. This report is the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge and is a critical factor in upcoming interest rate decisions. 

The January 2026 Housing Starts report, released on March 12, 2026, shows that privately-owned housing starts rose unexpectedly to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 1,487,000. This represents a 7.2% increase from the revised December 2025 estimate and a 9.5% increase year-over-year. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the February 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, showing that inflation remained steady and in line with expectations. 

Existing-home sales in the United States rose 1.7% in February 2026 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million units, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). This rebound follows an 8.4% decline in January and surpassed economist expectations of 3.89 million units. National Association of REALTORS® 

For the upcoming week of March 9–15, 2026, the economic calendar is dominated by critical inflation data from the United States and China, alongside high volatility due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.