Five Stock Market Changers to Watch This Week Economic growth: Final gross domestic product (GDP) for the second quarter will be announced Thursday (8:30 a.m.).

Five Stock Market Changers to Watch This Week Interest rates: The Fed will announce benchmark U.S. interest rates on Tuesday (2:15 p.m.). The rate itself

Consumer pulse: Retail sales figures come out Tuesday pre-market (8:30 a.m.) and the closely watched Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index is released Friday morning (9:55 a.m.).

Holiday week: U.S. markets are closed Monday (Labor Day). Experts note that the short week that follows is normally bullish in an otherwise bearish month.

Spending, incomes: Two important measures of the “pocketbook” economy come out this week. Personal incomes and personal consumption spending are due Monday (8:30 a.m.) and

Housing, manufacturing: On Tuesday (10 a.m.) we get existing home sales, followed on Wednesday (also 10 a.m.) by new home sales. Both are July numbers.