Business week ahead, May 21-25

KEY EVENT: Unemployment update. The state Labor Department on Tuesday releases unemployment rates for Nassau, Suffolk and Long Island as a whole. On a year-over-year basis, the Long Island jobless rate has increased in 13 of the past 15 months.

MONDAY: Oyster Bay-East Norwich Library hosts “Marketing Your Business” starting at 7 p.m. The free workshop, presented by LI-SCORE, covers steps needed to develop marketing and advertising plans and also has advice on Internet marketing.

TUESDAY: Earnings from AutoZone, Kohl’s and T.J. Maxx parent TJX.

WEDNESDAY: The Federal Reserve releases the minutes from its meeting earlier this month. Also, April new-home sales from the Commerce Department. Earnings: Lowe’s, Ralph Lauren, Target, Tiffany.

THURSDAY: Existing home sales for April from the National Association of Home Builders. Also, jobless benefits claims for the week ended May 19 from the U.S. Labor Department. And single-family home prices in March from the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Earnings: Best Buy, Gap, Hormel Foods, Ross Stores.

FRIDAY: The Commerce Department releases April durable goods orders, an update on the manufacture of long-lived expensive items such as cars, major appliances and aircraft. Also, May consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan. Earnings: Foot Locker.