A report on January U.S. retail sales is due out at 7:30 a.m. CST Wednesday, followed by the Federal Reserve's report on industrial production at 8:15 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., the U.S. Energy Department will update its weekly inventory report, including ethanol production. At 1:30 p.m., the Federal Reserve releases its minutes from the latest FOMC meeting. Traders will continue to watch over the latest weather forecasts and show interest in any news regarding Ukraine.
Weather
A frontal boundary draped from the Southern Plains into the Midwest is going to become active later on Wednesday with rain showers popping up. Colder air working in behind the front will change the northern edge of the showers to a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Moderate to heavy rain continues through Thursday and could cause some flooding in spots, mostly across the southern Midwest into the eastern Great Lakes. Bouts of severe weather will also be possible over the next couple of days across the Southern Plains, Midsouth, and Gulf Coast regions