This Week: Services sector update, job openings, employment report

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A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week.

Services status

The Institute for Supply Management releases its latest report on the U.S. service sector on Tuesday.

Economists forecast the monthly index edged higher in December, following a slip in November. The service sector employs most Americans and has withstood pressure from inflation and elevated interest rates. It is being closely watched for signs of potential economic stress.

ISM Services PMI (seasonally adjusted):

July: 51.4

Aug.: 51.5

Sept.: 54.9

Oct.: 56

Nov.: 52.1

Dec. (est.): 53.4

Source: FactSet

Job openings

The Labor Department releases its monthly survey of job openings on Tuesday.

Economists predict the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey will show job openings slipped in November from October. The report will provide more insight into the health of the job market. Job openings have declined steadily since peaking at 12.2 million in March 2022, but they remain above where they stood before the coronavirus pandemic hit the American economy in early 2020.

JOLTS job openings, in millions, by month:

June 7.91

July 7.71

Aug. 7.86

Sept. 7.37

Oct. 7.74

Nov. (est.) 7.59

Source: FactSet

Hiring update

The U.S. will release its monthly employment report on Friday.

Economists predict hiring in the U.S. bounced slipped in December after a sharp jump the previous month. They expect the Labor Department will report that nonfarm employers added 150,000 jobs in December.

Nonfarm payrolls, monthly change, seasonally adjusted:

July 144,000

Aug. 78,000

Sept. 255,000

Oct. 36,000

Nov. 227,000

Dec. (est.) 150,000

Source: FactSet