In Japan, investors are looking ahead to a slew of key economic indicators, all of which will be released within a 20-minute span on their Friday morning. The most closely watched indicator will be second quarter GDP. The Cabinet Office made significant changes to the way it calculates GDP so investors will have to look closely at the new data, which will have little in the way of comparable history to help the analysis.

In Europe, Germany's IFO index of business confidence for August is eagerly awaited on Wednesday. The IFO headline for July slipped for a second straight month, raising concerns about the recovery of Europe's largest economy. A continuation of the trend appeared to be confirmed by this month's plunge in the ZEW Institute's sentiment indicator. Investors will also pay attention to how the German government covers flood costs, especially with the national election drawing closer. The election is scheduled for September 22nd.

In the United States, new data will help evaluate how strong/weak economic growth really is. Those in Asia and Europe who rely on the U.S. economy as their major export market will pay particularly close attention. It is the last week of summer before the Labor Day holiday weekend and markets will probably be thin as traders try to fit in the last rays of summer sun.

Last Week's Highlights   •   Global Stock Market Indexes   •   Recap of Global Markets   •   Currencies   •  Indicator Scoreboard

The Bottom Line   •   Looking Ahead