Business events scheduled for the coming month

MONDAY, Dec. 3

WASHINGTON _ Institute for Supply Management releases its manufacturing index for November, 10 a.m.; Commerce Department releases construction spending for October, 10 a.m.

DETROIT _ Automakers release vehicle sales for November.

BRUSSELS _ Finance ministers from the 17 euro countries meet to discuss the financial crisis.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5

WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases third-quarter productivity data, 8:30 a.m.; Institute for Supply Management releases its service sector index for November, 10 a.m.; Commerce Department releases factory orders for October, 10 a.m.

THURSDAY, Dec. 6

WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.; Joint Economic Committee hearing on the "fiscal cliff."

FRANKFURT, Germany _ European Central Bank’s governing council meets to set interest rates for the eurozone.

BERLIN _ Germany releases industrial orders for October.

FRIDAY, Dec. 7

WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases employment data for November, 8:30 a.m.; Federal Reserve releases consumer credit data for October, 3 p.m.

BERLIN _ Germany releases industrial production for October.

TUESDAY, Dec. 11

WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases international trade data for October, 8:30 a.m.; Commerce Department releases wholesale trade inventories for October, 10 a.m.; Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for October, 10 a.m.; Federal Reserve policymakers begin a two-day meeting to set interest rates.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12

WASHINGTON _ Treasury releases federal budget for November, 2 p.m.; Federal Reserve policymakers meet to set interest rates.

THURSDAY, Dec. 13

WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Commerce Department releases retail sales data for November, 8:30 a.m.; Labor Department releases the Producer Price Index for November, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.; Commerce Department releases business inventories for October, 10 a.m.

BRUSSELS _ European Union leaders meet for a two-day EU summit.

FRIDAY, Dec. 14

WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases Consumer Price Index for November, 8:30 a.m.; Federal Reserve releases industrial production for November, 9:15 a.m.

BRUSSELS _ European Union leaders meet for EU summit.

TUESDAY, Dec. 18

WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases current account trade deficit for the third quarter, 8:30 a.m.; National Association of Home Builders releases housing market index for December, 10 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19

WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases housing starts for November, 8:30 a.m.

FRANKFURT, Germany _ Germany’s Ifo institute releases its monthly survey of business optimism

THURSDAY, Dec. 20

WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases third-quarter gross domestic product, 8:30 a.m.; Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for November, 10 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.; Conference Board releases leading indicators for November, 10 a.m.

FRIDAY, Dec. 21

WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases personal income and spending for November, 8:30 a.m.

MONDAY, Dec. 24

WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases durable goods for November, 8:30 a.m.

TUESDAY, Dec. 25

WASHINGTON _ Stock and bond markets are closed for Christmas Day.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26

WASHINGTON _ Standard & Poor’s releases S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices for October, 9 a.m.

THURSDAY, Dec. 27

WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m.; Commerce Department releases new home sales for November, 10 a.m.; The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index for December, 10 a.m.

FRIDAY, Dec. 28

WASHINGTON _ National Association of Realtors releases pending home sales index for November, 10 a.m.