Business week ahead, Dec. 21-25

KEY EVENT: An atypically active Christmas week of economic news is topped by the state Labor Department’s Tuesday report on November unemployment rates in Nassau, Suffolk and Long Island as a whole. In October, the Long Island unemployment rate rose to 6.5 percent from 6.3 percent in September, still below the historic high of 16.1 percent set in April during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MONDAY: The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago releases the November national economic activity report.

TUESDAY: November existing-home sales from the National Association of Realtors. Also, the third and final estimate of third-quarter GDP from the Commerce Department. Earnings: CarMax, corporate apparel maker Cintas.

WEDNESDAY: Two Commerce Department reports: new-home sales and personal income and spending, both for November. Also, the Federal Housing Finance Agency releases single-family home prices in October. And consumer sentiment in December from the University of Michigan. Earnings: payroll processor Paychex.

THURSDAY: Jobless benefits claims for the week ended Dec. 19 from the Labor Department. And the Commerce Department releases November durable goods orders, a look at the manufacture of long-lived items such as cars, aircraft and computers. Also, financial markets close early for Christmas Eve.

FRIDAY: All financial markets closed for Christmas.