Next week: Housing starts, Fed minutes and Walmart earnings

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A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming next week.

Housing update

The Commerce Department on Wednesday reports on how many new apartments and single-family homes builders broke ground on in January.

In December, housing starts jumped to nearly 1.5 million, a nearly 16% increase over November's paltry 1.3 million. Despite the surge, December housing starts were down 4.4% from a year ago.

Housing starts, monthly, seasonally adjusted annual rate:

Aug.: 1,379,000

Sept.: 1,355,000

Oct.: 1,344,000

Nov.: 1,294,000

Dec.: 1,499,000

Jan. (est.): 1,390,000

Source: FactSet

Fed insight

Also Wednesday, the Federal Reserve releases minutes from its most recent policy meeting.

At that meeting in late January, the U.S. central bank left its benchmark interest rate alone for the first time since summer. Fed officials had previously forecast up to four rate cuts this year, but have since cut that outlook to two. A solid labor market, sticky inflation and uncertainty over Trump administration policies — particularly tariffs — has led Fed officials to shift to a more cautious policy stance.

Walmart reports

The nation's largest retailer on Thursday reports its most recent financial results, which will include the all-important holiday shopping season.

Following a strong quarter leading up to the holidays, Wall Street analysts are anticipating Arkansas-based Walmart to post fourth-quarter earnings of 65 cents per share on $180 billion in sales. Walmart's sales have been boosted in recent years as inflation-weary shoppers seek out lower prices. Its shares are up 85% in the past year.