Measures the value of new purchase orders placed with domestic manufacturers for durable and non-durable goods. Factory Orders tend to have a low impact because it reports much of the same information contained in the Durable Goods Orders report released over a week earlier.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will testify before the House Financial Services Committee regarding the ongoing subprime mortgage problems. As head of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is responsible for setting the nation\'s short term interest rate, Ben Bernanke is arguably the most influential figure in the currency markets. Bernanke is known to drop clues during his speeches, as it is the FOMC\'s tenet to keep the public aware of their monetary policy long before interest rates are changes. Heavy market volatility is often experienced during Bernanke\'s speeches as traders attempt to decipher his clues.

The National Association of Purchasing Managers (NAPM) Chicago Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) measures the health of the Chicago business environment. It's derived from a monthly survey of purchasing managers where respondents indicate whether their organization's activity is higher than, the same as, or lower than the previous month for output, purchases, employment, inventories, orders, and prices. An index reading above 50 indicates sector expansion.

The Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index measures the rate of inflation experienced by consumers when purchasing goods and services, excluding Food and Energy. Like CPI, it reflects the price change in consumer goods and services. PCE differs slightly from CPI in that it only measures goods and services targeted towards and consumed by individuals. Food and Energy account for roughly 25% of PCE, but they can be very volatile from month to month and can distort the overall picture. PCE with the exclusion of these volatile components is thought to be a better indicator of the underlying inflation trend. Traders watch the Core PCE Price Index closely because it's the Federal Reserve's preferred consumer inflation indicator.

Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index measures the rate of inflation experienced by consumers when purchasing goods and services.