Traders face a concentrated slate of policy and economic data on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, a day likely to drive intraday moves across rates, equities, currencies and commodities. The Federal Open Market Committee will publish its vote on the federal funds rate and the accompanying policy statement at 1:00 PM ET, followed by the FOMC chair's press conference at 1:30 PM ET. Earlier in the session, the morning releases of durable goods orders and building permits will provide fresh readings on manufacturing demand and housing activity, while the Energy Information Administration's weekly crude oil inventory report at 9:30 AM ET will be the focal point for energy markets.
Key scheduled releases and expectations
- 7:30 AM ET - Building Permits: Expected at 1.390M versus previous 1.386M. This series measures the change in the number of new building permits issued by the government and is a primary gauge of housing market demand.
- 7:30 AM ET - Durable Goods Orders: Expected at 0.4% versus previous -1.3%. The headline durable goods figure tracks the change in the total value of new orders for long-lasting manufactured goods, including transportation items.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Crude Oil Inventories: Previous 1.925M. The Energy Information Administration's weekly tally measures the change in commercial crude oil inventories held by U.S. firms and is closely watched for implications for petroleum product prices and inflation.
- 1:00 PM ET - Interest Rate Decision: Expected at 3.75% versus previous 3.75%. This is the FOMC's vote on the target for the federal funds rate, a principal determinant of monetary policy and an important variable for currency valuation.
- 1:00 PM ET - FOMC Statement: The policy statement will relay the committee's economic assessment and the outcome of the rate vote.
- 1:30 PM ET - FOMC Press Conference: The post-meeting press conference provides further context and guidance on the committee's decisions.
Additional morning data
Beyond the headline items, the morning brings a cluster of supporting economic indicators that together offer a fuller picture of activity across manufacturing, trade and housing:
- 7:30 AM ET - Core Durable Goods Orders: Expected at 0.4% versus previous 0.8%. This measure removes transportation items to provide a different angle on ordering trends for long-lived manufactured goods.
- 7:30 AM ET - Goods Trade Balance: Expected at -87.50B versus previous -83.50B. This series captures the difference between the value of imported and exported goods in the reported month.
- 7:30 AM ET - Retail Inventories Ex Auto: Previous 0.4%. This tracks inventory changes at retailers excluding the automotive sector.
- 7:30 AM ET - Building Permits (monthly change): Previous -4.7%. The monthly percentage change in building permits offers a timely view on permit issuance momentum.
- 7:30 AM ET - Housing Starts: Expected at 1.380M versus previous 1.487M. Housing starts measure the change in the annualized number of new residential buildings that began construction and are a leading indicator of housing-sector strength.
- 7:30 AM ET - Housing Starts (monthly change): Previous 7.2%. This series gauges monthly changes in new construction activity.
- 9:00 AM ET - Atlanta Fed GDPNow: Expected at 1.2% versus previous 1.2%. This is a running estimate of real GDP growth for the current quarter based on available data.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Cushing Oil Inventories: Previous 0.806M. The level of crude stored at Cushing, Oklahoma, a key delivery point for the U.S. crude benchmark, is a specific point of focus for oil market participants.
Other early indicators and weekly series
Market participants will also monitor several weekly and sector-specific measures released in the early morning, which can sharpen the picture of mortgage demand, wholesale inventories and refined product supply and demand:
- 6:00 AM ET - MBA Mortgage Applications: Previous 7.9%.
- 6:00 AM ET - MBA 30-Year Mortgage Rate: Previous 6.35%.
- 6:00 AM ET - Mortgage Market Index: Previous 303.3.
- 6:00 AM ET - MBA Purchase Index: Previous 175.6.
- 6:00 AM ET - Mortgage Refinance Index: Previous 1,023.1.
- 7:30 AM ET - Wholesale Inventories: Expected at 0.4% versus previous 0.8%.
- 7:30 AM ET - Durables Excluding Defense: Previous -1.1%.
- 7:30 AM ET - Goods Orders Non Defense Ex Air: Expected at 0.5% versus previous 0.6%.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Distillates Stocks: Previous -3.427M.
- 9:30 AM ET - Gasoline Inventories: Previous -4.570M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Heatoil Stock: Previous -0.328M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Distillate Fuel Production: Previous 0.087M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Crude Imports: Previous 1.214M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Refinery Utilization Rates: Previous -0.5%.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Refinery Crude Runs: Previous -0.055M.
- 9:30 AM ET - EIA Weekly Gasoline Production: Previous 0.315M.
How the calendar may influence market focus
The day's sequence places macro policy commentary from the Federal Reserve in the afternoon, after a set of manufacturing, housing and energy releases that arrive earlier. Traders frequently use the morning's hard data to shape expectations heading into the FOMC statement and press conference, and the combination of the rate decision with the Fed's narrative can be pivotal for interest-rate sensitive sectors and currency valuation.
In addition, the EIA's crude oil inventory figures and related weekly fuel and refinery statistics provide separate, near-term inputs for energy prices and inflation-sensitive commodity markets.
Where to monitor updates
Market participants looking for intraday changes in these series should consult the relevant economic releases and the updated calendar entries as the figures are published throughout the morning and into the afternoon.