In the week ending April 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 234,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 234,000 to 235,000. The 4-week moving average was 247,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average.

Consumer sentiment advanced to a three-month high in April as Americans’ optimism about their current financial situation and the economy reached the strongest point since 2000, University of Michigan survey data showed Thursday. Preliminary sentiment index rose to 98 (forecast was 96.5) from 96.9 in March. Current conditions gauge, which measures Americans’ perceptions of their personal finances, increased to 115.2, the highest since November 2000, from 113.2 the prior month. Expectations measure improved in April to 86.9 from 86.5.

Friday brought CPI and Retail Sales figures. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.3 percent   in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics   reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index rose 2.4 percent  before seasonal adjustment.  The March decline was the first 1-month decrease in the seasonally adjusted  all items index since February 2016.

Sales at U.S. retailers declined in March for a second month, hurt by fewer purchases of automobiles, Commerce Department data showed Friday. Value of purchases fell 0.2 percent (in line with median forecast) after February sales were revised to a 0.3 percent decrease (previously reported as a 0.1 percent gain). Over the last three months, retail control-group sales increased an annualized 4.1 percent, compared with 3.8 percent at the end of last year.

This week markets will be looking at:

Building Permits/ Housing Starts (Tuesday 14:30)

Industrial Production (Tuesday 15:15)

Philly Fed Manufacturing Index (Thursday 14:30)

Unemployment Claims (Thursday 14:30)