The Week Ahead: Retail in the Spotlight

It's all about retail next week, as a relatively light economic docket features the release of retail sales data, the producer price index (PPI), and the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index. Among the retailers reporting earnings are Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN), Men's Wearhouse Inc (NYSE:MW), Aeropostale Inc (NYSE:ARO), and Express, Inc. (NYSE:EXPR), while fast-casual restaurant Shake Shack Inc (NYSE:SHAK) will make its earnings debut.

Below is a brief list of some key market events scheduled for the upcoming week. All earnings dates listed below are tentative and subject to change. Please check with each company's respective website for official reporting dates.

Monday

• To kick off the week, Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester will speak in Washington, D.C. Qihoo 360 Technology (QIHU), United Natural Foods (UNFI), and Urban Outfitters (URBN) will present earnings.

Tuesday

• The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report will headline Tuesday's economic calendar. For earnings, Barnes & Noble (BKS), FuelCell Energy (FCEL), and VeriFone (PAY) will report.

Wednesday

• Weekly crude inventories and the Treasury budget will be released on Wednesday. Express (EXPR), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (KKD), Men's Wearhouse (MW), Shake Shack (SHAK), and Tahoe Resources (TAHO) will flex their earnings muscles.

Thursday

• Weekly jobless claims, retail sales, import and export prices, and wholesale inventories are all on Thursday's docket. On the earnings front, Aeropostale (ARO), Dollar General (DG), El Pollo Loco (LOCO), JA Solar (JASO), and The Children's Place (PLCE) will present.

Friday

• Closing out the week's economic news is the producer price index (PPI), along with the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index. Ann Inc (ANN) will round out the earnings docket.