The week ahead is very big for the economy.

Reports from the federal government are due on inflation, jobless claims, retail sales industrial production, import prices, factory utilization and business inventories.

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The reports will be read and discussed. Investors will make - or try to make - decisions based on the data. And in the backs of everyone's minds will be this question:

Is the data real?

Related: Apple is a star (again) as investors hope tariffs don't squeeze markets

If President Trump doesn't like the data, he (or someone else in the administration) might call it rigged.

If he likes it, his opponents will call it rigged.

The people who make decisions to build a factory or buy or sell bonds or stocks may

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