Key economic reports may be movers this week

Campbell Soup Co. reports fourth-quarter results on Thursday. (Paul Sakuma/associated press/file 2007)

TOMORROW

The Federal Reserve releases consumer credit for July. It's expected to have tightened to $8.6 billion, from $14.3 billion previously.

Federal court hearing on Smithfield Foods Inc.'s racketeering lawsuit against a union seeking to organize workers at a slaughterhouse in North Carolina.

Sentencing hearing for Broadcom cofounder Henry Samueli.

THURSDAY

The Commerce Department releases international trade for July. The trade deficit is expected to have widened to $58 billion, after recording the smallest gap in four months.

Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates.

Campbell Soup Co. reports fourth-quarter financial results. Analysts expect earnings of 25 cents a share, compared with 14 cents in the year-ago period.

FRIDAY

The Labor Department will release the producer-price report. Economists forecast wholesale prices fell 0.5 percent. Excluding energy costs, they increased 0.2 percent, according to the median estimate.

The Commerce Department releases the retail sales report for August. It's predicted that sales excluding cars and trucks dropped 0.2 percent, the first decline since February, after a 0.4 percent gain in July. A rebound in auto sales following a July slump probably brought overall purchases up 0.3 percent.