Investing.com - In the week ahead, trading volumes are expected to remain light due to the Christmas holiday and as many traders already closed books before the end of the year, reducing liquidity in the market and increasing the volatility.
The U.S. is to release reports on consumer confidence, pending home sales and jobless claims, as traders look for further indications on the strength of the economy and hints on the future path of monetary policy.
Elsewhere, Japanese inflation data will also be in focus as investors assess the need for further stimulus in the world's third's largest economy.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
1. Christmas Vacation
Stock markets in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the U.K., Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. will remain closed on Monday, to make up for Christmas Day falling on a Sunday.
Brits and Canadians get an extra day off for Boxing Day, so markets in those countries will also be closed on Tuesday.
2. U.S. December Consumer Confidence
The Conference Board, a market research group, is to publish data on December consumer confidence at 10:00AM ET (15:00GMT) on Tuesday, with market players expecting the index to rise to 108.5 from 107.1 a month earlier.
If confirmed it would be the strongest reading since July 2007.
3. U.S. Pending Home Sales for November
The National Association of Realtors is to release data on November pending home sales at 10:00AM ET (15:00GMT) on Wednesday. The report is expected to show pending home sales rose 0.5% last month, after inching up 0.1% in October.
4. U.S. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims
The U.S. is to release a weekly report on initial jobless claims at 8:30AM ET (13:30GMT) Thursday, amid expectations for an increase of 2,000 to 277,000 in the week ending December 23.
5. Japanese November CPI
Japan's Statistics Bureau will publish November inflation figures at 23:30GMT Monday (6:30PM ET). Market analysts expect the headline figure to remain negative, falling 0.4% year-on-year, which would be the 12th straight month of declines.
The country has been struggling to hit its 2% consumer price target, keeping pressure on the Bank of Japan to maintain its aggressive stimulus package.
Stay up-to-date on all of this week's economic events by visiting: http://www.investing.com/economic-calendar/