Figures of the Week

The Week Ahead

EXISTING-HOME SALES

Monday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m. EST -- Existing homes probably sold at an an annual rate of 5.1 million in October, little changed from the 5.13 million sold in September. That's the median forecast of economists surveyed by Standard & Poor's MMS, a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INDEX

Tuesday, Nov. 30, 10 a.m. EST -- The Conference Board's index of consumer confidence likely rose to 132 in November from 130.1 in October.NAPM SURVEY

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. EST -- The National Association for Purchasing Management`s index probably rose to 57.1% in November, from 56.6% in October, says the S&P MMS survey.CONSTRUCTION SPENDING

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. EST -- Building expenditures were probably unchanged in October.LEADING INDICATORS

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. EST -- The Conference Board's index of leading indicators likely edged up 0.1% in October, after slipping 0.1% in September.NEW HOME SALES

Thursday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. EST -- New single-family homes probably sold at an annual rate of 850,000 in October, up from September's 811,000 pace.EMPLOYMENT

Friday, Dec. 3, 8:30 a.m. EST -- The S&P MMS median forecast projects that nonfarm payrolls in November added some 200,000 new workers, a large gain coming on top of the 310,000 new jobs created in October. The November unemployment rate is expected to remain at October's low 4.1%. Nonfarm hourly wages are forecast to rise a modest 0.3% in November, after a 0.1% gain in October.