By a WSJ Staff Reporter 

In the week ahead, the U.S. will see data on home sales and durable goods, while Europe will get data on eurozone manufacturing.

Tuesday: The National Association of Realtors will release a snapshot of the housing market -- the existing-home sales report for December. Economists estimate that sales fell 1.3% from a month earlier. A runup in home prices and mortgage rates hurt sales last year. Sales in November decreased 7% from a year earlier, the largest year-to-year drop since a May 2011 decline.

Thursday: The eurozone slowed more sharply than expected in 2018, and economists expect to see some signs of stabilization in the early months of this year as the currency area's automobile industry returns to normal after a difficult transition to new carbon emissions standards. Surveys of purchasing managers to be released Thursday will give a first indication as to whether those expectations will be realized, with economists expecting to see a small rise in the composite purchasing managers index to 51.5 from 51.1 in December. The surveys will be released as officials at the European Central Bank conclude their first meeting of the year, with no significant changes in policy expected.

Friday: The U.S. Commerce Department will provide a snapshot on the manufacturing sector with a report on durable-goods orders for December. Economists project orders rose 1% from a month earlier.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 20, 2019 15:14 ET (20:14 GMT)