Business week ahead, Nov. 20-24

KEY EVENT: October unemployment report. On Tuesday, the state Labor Department releases Long Island unemployment rates for October. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent in October, lowest in 17 years. On Long Island, however, the jobless rate, which stood at 4.2 percent in September, has been inching higher since May 2016, when it hit a nine-year low of 3.7 percent.

MONDAY: Leading economic indicators for October from The Conference Board. Earnings: Melville software maker FalconStor.

TUESDAY: The National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for October. Earnings: Campbell Soup, Hormel Foods, HP.

WEDNESDAY: The Federal Reserve posts the minutes from its Nov. 1 meeting. The minutes often give an insight into whether the central bank is closing in on raising interest rates. Also, the Commerce Department releases October durable goods orders, an update on the manufacturing of expensive, long-lived items like cars, aircraft and home appliances. And jobless benefits claims for the week ended Nov. 18 from the U.S. Labor Department. Earnings: Deere.

THURSDAY: U.S. financial markets closed for Thanksgiving.

FRIDAY: The holiday shopping season gets its annual kickoff with Black Friday deals at local retailers and online. Also, the stock market closes early.