The Week Ahead

The Conference Board releases leading indicators for December. A report from the National Association of Realtors may show purchases of previously owned homes fell 2 percent in December to a record low of 4.4 million at an annual pace.

Accountant Mark Misselbeck takes your questions at 1 p.m. at www.boston.com/business.

The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index. It is projected to show consumer confidence this month held near a record low, a Bloomberg News survey states.

Federal Reserve meets with an interest rate announcement expected. Analysts suggest that the Fed will unveil more tools to unclog lending after having cut interest rates to as low as zero.

Commerce Department releases durable goods and new home sales for December.

Raytheon Corp. reports fourth-quarter results.

Commerce Department releases advance report of gross domestic product figures for the fourth quarter. Gross domestic product contracted at a 5.5 percent annual rate from October through December, the biggest drop since 1982, according to a reading of a Bloomberg News survey.