Key Reports Due On Trade, Retail Sales And Inflation

ByJohn S. McClenahen This week is back loaded with key economic reports. On Wednesday, Jan. 12, the U.S. Commerce Department is slated to release November 2004 international trade figures. Thursday, in addition to the U.S. Labor Department's weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance, the Commerce Department is to release data on December retail sales and the Labor Department is scheduled to report on U.S. December import and export prices. On Friday, the Commerce Department is slated to report on November business inventories, the Labor Department is to release the December Producer Price Index, and the Federal Reserve is to report December industrial production and capacity utilization figures.