Today has the heaviest data of the week, with key economic and corporate news.
Retailers such as L Brands and Costco get the ball rolling with the release of October same-store sales early in the session.
The big number comes at 8:30 a.m. ET, when the Commerce Department announces its initial estimate for third-quarter gross domestic product. Economists forecast an increase of 1.9 percent, down from 2.5 percent in the second quarter.
Weekly jobless claims, scheduled for the same time, are expected to total 335,000, down slightly from the previous period's 340,000. Unlike the GDP, lower readings for claims are bullish for the economy.
Nonetheless it's not clear how the market will react because strongly positive numbers could trigger fears that interest rates will increase. That could be negative for share prices.
Quarterly earnings also come out before the opening bell from companies such as Apache, International Game Technology, and Stratasys. Walt Disney, Monster Beverage, and Priceline.com follow in the afternoon.
Tomorrow is also busy, with monthly non-farm payrolls and consumer sentiment on the agenda.
More From optionMONSTER