Weekly Outlook

Click here for The Week Ahead by Reuters.

Click here for Stocks in Focus for Monday by MarketWatch.com.

There are several economic reports of note and some significant corporate earnings reports scheduled for release this week.

Economic reports for the week include:
Mon. – None of note

Tues. – Non-farm Productivity, Unit Labor Costs, FOMC Rate Decision, Consumer Credit, weekly retail sales

Wed. – Weekly MBA Mortgage Applications, Wholesale Inventories

Thur. – Initial Jobless Claims, ICSC Chain Store Sales

Fri. – Import Price Index, Monthly Budget Statement

Some of the more noteworthy companies that release quarterly earnings this week are:
Mon. – Blue Nile(NILE), BMC Software(BMC), Conseco(CNO), Dun & Bradstreet(DNB), Quiksilver(ZQK), Sina Corp.(SINA), Trident Microsystems(TRID), Wynn Resorts(WYNN)

Tues. – Cisco Systems(CSCO), Dean Foods(DF), Duke Energy(DUK), El Paso(EP), Emerson Electric(EMR), Flour Corp.(FLR), Frontier Oil(FTO), Harrah’s Entertainment(HET), Marsh & McLennan(MMC), Marvel Entertainment(MVL), McDermott Intl.(MDR), Onyx Pharmaceuticals(ONXX), Papa John’s(PZZA), Priceline.com(PCLN), Titanium Metals(TIE), Tyco Intl.(TYC)

Wed. – Advance Auto Parts(AAP), American International Group(AIG), Barr Pharma(BRL), Brightpoint(CELL), Cablevision Systems(CVC), Flowserve(FLS), Georgia Gulf(GGC), Hansen Natural(HANS), Jack in the Box(JBX), News Corp.(NWS/A), Nuance Communications(NUAN), Polo Ralph Lauren(RL), Sprint Nextel(S), Station Casinos(STN)

Thur. – Brinker Intl.(EAT), California Pizza Kitchen(CPKI), Cardinal Health(CAH), Diebold(DBD), Dillard’s(DDS), Dynegy(DYN), Emulex(ELX), Limelight(LLNW), Nvidia Corp.(NVDA), Urban Outfitters(URBN)

Fri. – Bausch & Lomb(BOL), EchoStar Communications(DISH), International Rectifier(IRF), Kohl’s(KSS), Pacific Sunwear(PSUN), Triarc(TRY)

Other events that have market-moving potential this week include:
Mon. – CIBC Enterprise Software Conference, Pacific Crest Tech Forum

Tue. – RBC Tech Conference, CIBC Enterprise Software Conference, Canaccord Adams Global Growth Conference, Pacific Crest Tech Forum

Wed. – CSFB Electrical Equip. & Multi-Industry Conference, Canaccord Adams Global Growth Conference, Pacific Crest Tech Forum

Thur. – CSFB Electrical Equip. & Multi-Industry Conference, RBC Tech Conference, Canaccord Adams Global Growth Conference, (BBY) Investor and Analyst Day

Fri. – None of note

BOTTOM LINE: I expect US stocks to finish the week modestly higher on constructive Fed comments, better-than-expected earnings reports, mostly positive economic data, bargain-hunting, lower energy prices and short-covering. My trading indicators are giving bearish signals and the Portfolio is 50% net long heading into the week.