Traders enter a consequential trading day on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, with a slate of economic releases that may affect market sentiment and price action. The primary focus is the pair of Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) readings for manufacturing and services, both scheduled at 8:45 AM ET, which are widely used to gauge activity in these core segments of the U.S. economy.
The manufacturing PMI is forecast at 51.0, down from the previous 51.6, and, like the services gauge, uses a 50.0 threshold to distinguish expansion from contraction. The services PMI is forecast at 51.7, unchanged from its prior reading of 51.7, and draws responses from more than 400 private-sector service company executives, including respondents in transport, communication and financial services.
Major economic releases scheduled for Tuesday
- 8:45 AM ET - Manufacturing PMI: Forecast 51.0, Previous 51.6 - Measures activity levels of purchasing managers in the manufacturing sector, with readings above 50 indicating expansion.
- 8:45 AM ET - Services PMI: Forecast 51.7, Previous 51.7 - Surveys over 400 private sector service company executives across transport, communication, financial services, and other industries.
Additional scheduled releases and events to monitor
- 7:15 AM ET - ADP Employment Change Weekly: Previous 9.00K - The four-week moving average of private-sector employment changes, often viewed as a precursor to official nonfarm payrolls data.
- 7:30 AM ET - Unit Labor Costs: Forecast 3.4%, Previous 2.8% - The annualized change in the price businesses pay for labor, serving as a leading indicator of consumer inflation.
- 7:30 AM ET - Nonfarm Productivity: Forecast 2.4%, Previous 2.8% - The annualized change in labor efficiency when producing goods and services, excluding farming.
- 8:45 AM ET - S&P Global Composite PMI: Previous 51.9 - A combined measure of manufacturing and services sector activity.
- 12:00 PM ET - 2-Year Note Auction: Previous 3.455% - A Treasury note auction yield that reflects investor demand for government debt.
- 3:30 PM ET - API Weekly Crude Stock: Previous 6.600M - The American Petroleum Institute's weekly inventory figures for U.S. crude oil, gasoline and distillates.
- 5:30 PM ET - Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Barr Speaks: Remarks from Federal Reserve leadership that may provide policy insights.
Other data items scheduled for release
- 7:55 AM ET - Redbook: Previous 6.4% - Year-over-year same-store sales growth among large U.S. general merchandise retailers.
- 9:00 AM ET - Richmond Manufacturing Index: Forecast -5, Previous -10 - A regional business conditions indicator that includes shipments, new orders and employment.
- 9:00 AM ET - Richmond Manufacturing Shipments: Previous -13 - A component of the Fifth District manufacturing survey measuring shipment activity.
- 9:00 AM ET - Richmond Services Index: Previous -8 - A measure of services sector business activity in the Fifth District.
- 12:00 PM ET - US M2 Money Supply: Previous 22.44T - A broad measure of money supply that includes savings deposits, time deposits and retail money market funds.
Taken together, these releases give market participants a cross-section of demand, cost pressures and liquidity conditions. The PMI readings highlight current business sentiment and activity in manufacturing and services; unit labor costs and productivity point to near-term inflation signals; the two-year auction provides a market read on Treasury demand; and the API crude inventory figures inform commodity markets.
For investors and analysts seeking the latest timing and any updates to the schedule, the full economic calendar is available at the referenced economic calendar link.