Economic Data Summary - U.S. Retail Sales for February increased by +0.2%, falling short of the +0.6% expectation, with January revised down to -1.2%, the weakest since November 2022 [2] - Excluding auto sales, Retail Sales met estimates at +0.3%, with January's figure revised lower from -0.4% to -0.6% [2] - When removing autos and gasoline, the Retail Sales print was better than expected at +0.5% versus +0.4%, with January revised down from -0.5% to -0.8%, the lowest since March 2023 [3] Consumer Behavior Insights - Gas Station Sales decreased by -1%, Department Stores fell by -1.7%, Consumer Discretionary was down -0.4%, and Clothing sales dropped by -0.6%, indicating a slowdown in consumer appetites despite some economic resilience [4] Manufacturing Sector Update - The Empire State Manufacturing Survey reported its largest decline since January 2024 at -20, significantly worse than the expected -1.8, marking the second double-digit down-month of 2025 [5] Upcoming Economic Indicators - Business Inventories for January are expected to show a positive swing of +0.3% from the previous -0.2% [6] - The Home Builder Confidence Index for March is anticipated to remain steady at 42 [6] Stock Market Outlook - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is expected to maintain interest rates between 4.25-4.50% for the third consecutive month, which will be a focal point in the upcoming week [7] - Significant earnings reports are anticipated this week, including Super Micro Computer on Wednesday and FedEx and Lennar on Thursday [8]