Weekly Outlook

Click here for the weekly economic preview by MarketWatch.com.

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

Economic reports for the week include:

Mon. – None of note

Tues. – Pending Home Sales, weekly retail sales reports, Consumer Credit

Wed. – Weekly MBA Mortgage Applications report, weekly EIA energy inventory report

Thur. – Initial Jobless Claims, Wholesale Inventories, ICSC Chain Store Sales

Fri. – Trade Balance, Import Price Index, Monthly Budget Statement

Some of the more noteworthy companies that release quarterly earnings this week are:

Mon. – Schnitzer Steel(SCHN), Immucor Inc.(BLUD), Lawson Software(LWSN)

Tues. – KB Home(KBH), Constellation Brands(STZ), Acuity Brands(AYI), Family Dollar Stores(FDO), Apollo Group(APOL), Safeway Inc.(SWY), SUPERVALU Inc.(SVU)

Wed. – Mosaic Co.(MOS), Audiovox Corp.(VOXX), Alcoa Inc.(AA), Ruby Tuesday(RT), WD-40 Co.(WDFC), Norfolk Southern(NSC)

Thur. – Shuffle Master(SHFL), Chevron Corp.(CVX)

Fri. – AMR Corp.(AMR)

Other events that have market-moving potential this week include:

Mon. – Consumer Electronics Show, JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, JPMorgan Tech Forum

Tue. – Fed’s Plosser speaking, JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, Needham Growth Conference, Citigroup Entertainment Conference, Consumer Electronics Show, JPMorgan Global Energy Day, Raymond James Government Services & Technology Summit

Wed. – (VFC) analyst meeting, JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, Consumer Electronics Show, Citigroup Entertainment Conference, Needham Growth Conference

Thur. – Fed’s Bernanke speaking, (MMSI) investor meeting, Fed’s Hoenig speaking, Needham Growth Conference, Consumer Electronics Show, Citigroup Entertainment Conference, JPMorgan Healthcare Conference

Fri. – Fed’s Mishkin speaking, (MMSI) investor meeting, Needham Growth Conference

BOTTOM LINE: I expect US stocks to finish the week modestly higher on a firmer US dollar, lower energy prices, diminishing credit market anxiety, more constructive Fed comments, bargain hunting and short-covering. My trading indicators are giving mixed signals and the Portfolio is 75% net long heading into the week.