Monthly release schedule
March 2026 U.S. Economic Calendar
9 verified dates for employment, inflation, spending, output, and Federal Reserve decisions.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Data and formulas checked August 23, 2026 · Methodology & sources
March at a glance
The first listed release is Retail Sales on Friday, March 6, 2026. The month includes 9 scheduled major releases, all shown in Eastern Time with the period covered.
March 2026 Release Dates
| Date & time | Release | Period covered | Status | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Mar 6, 20268:30 AM ET | Advance Monthly Retail Sales | January 2026 | Released | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Fri, Mar 6, 20268:30 AM ET | Employment Situation (Nonfarm Payrolls) | February 2026 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Wed, Mar 11, 20268:30 AM ET | Consumer Price Index (CPI) | February 2026 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Fri, Mar 13, 20268:30 AM ET | GDP (Second Estimate) | Q4 2025 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
| Fri, Mar 13, 20268:30 AM ET | Personal Income and Outlays (PCE Inflation) | January 2026 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
| Fri, Mar 13, 202610:00 AM ET | Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) | January 2026 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Wed, Mar 18, 20268:30 AM ET | Producer Price Index (PPI) | February 2026 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Wed, Mar 18, 20262:00 PM ET | FOMC Rate Decision | March 17–18 meeting | Released | Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System |
| Tue, Mar 31, 202610:00 AM ET | Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) | February 2026 | Released | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Why these March reports matter
Retail Sales
Retail sales provide an early monthly read on consumer demand, a major driver of U.S. growth.
Nonfarm Payrolls
Payroll growth, unemployment, and wages are central to the Fed’s maximum-employment mandate.
CPI Inflation
CPI is the most closely watched monthly measure of consumer-price inflation.
GDP
GDP is the broadest measure of U.S. economic output and helps frame recession and policy expectations.
PCE Inflation
The Fed states its 2% inflation goal in terms of the PCE price index, making this a key policy release.
JOLTS
Job openings, hires, and quits help show whether labor demand is tightening or cooling.
PPI Inflation
PPI tracks selling prices received by domestic producers and can signal pipeline inflation pressure.
FOMC Decision
The FOMC statement sets the federal funds target range and explains the Fed’s current policy stance.
March 2026 Calendar FAQs
What economic reports are released in March 2026?
March 2026 has 9 major entries on this calendar, including Retail Sales, Nonfarm Payrolls, CPI Inflation, GDP, PCE Inflation, JOLTS, PPI Inflation, FOMC Decision. Dates and times come from the responsible U.S. government agencies.
What is the first major economic release in March 2026?
The first listed release is Advance Monthly Retail Sales on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time.
Are March 2026 release dates final?
The dates are official as reviewed on August 23, 2026, but agencies can revise their calendars. Each table row links to its primary source for confirmation.