Business week ahead, March 11-15

KEY EVENT: Long Island unemployment hit historic lows last year, ending the year at a near full employment rate of 3.2 percent. The first look at local unemployment in 2019 comes Tuesday, when the state Labor Department releases January jobless rates for Nassau, Suffolk and Long Island as a whole. 

MONDAY: The U.S. Census Bureau releases business inventories for December.

TUESDAY: The nation’s most watched inflation indicator: consumer prices for February from the U.S. Labor Department. The report includes a breakout of prices in the 25 Northeast counties, including Long Island. Earnings: Dick's Sporting Goods.

WEDNESDAY: February producer prices from the U.S. Labor Department, an update on whether inflation is perking up at the wholesalers’ level.

THURSDAY: Jobless benefits claims for the week ended March 9 from the U.S. Labor Department. Also from the U.S. Labor Department: import and export prices for February. Earnings: publishing software maker Adobe, CA Technologies owner Broadcom, Ulta Beauty.

FRIDAY: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York releases the March Empire State survey, an update on New York manufacturing. Also, the number of job openings at the end of January from the U.S. Labor Department. And consumer sentiment in early March from the University of Michigan.