Earnings season continues full steam this week, but there will also be plenty of economic news for traders to consider. The report on Canadian gross domestic product for February is due for release on Wednesday.

Economists are expecting to see a 0.2% monthly increase in February as the country’s manufacturing and wholesale sectors feel the pinch of world events. That would be half of the pace recorded in January.

On Friday, Statistics Canada is scheduled to release the business conditions survey for the second quarter.

In the United States, the week’s data lead up to Friday’s April employment report. Economists are expecting to see the loss of another 75,000 jobs, following the 105,000 decline reported in March. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, is expected to climb to 5.9% from 5.8%.

That report comes just days before the Federal Reserve delivers its May 6 decision on interest rates. Most analysts expect the central bank to remain on hold, although at least some are betting that another rate-cut could be in the offing in the months to come.

“It now appears that policymakers plan to give the economy and financial conditions time to digest the resolution of the Iraq conflict and now perhaps the impact of SARS before deciding whether a second half turnaround is likely,” says TD Securities.

Tuesday will see the release of U.S. consumer confidence numbers for April, while Thursday brings the U.S. Institute for Supply Management index for April.

With earnings season in full steam, Canada’s largest communications company, the country’s second largest phone company and a no-frills airline are among the firms set to report on their latest quarter this week.

Monday will bring reports from Barrick Gold, Investors Group, McDonald’s, Moore and Procter & Gamble.

Tuesday will see Biovail, Brascan, Ericsson LM Telephone, JDS Uniphase, Manitoba Telecom, Petro-Canada, and Placer Dome.

BCE, Telus and WestJet report on Wednesay, as do Algoma Steel, Dorel, DuPont Canada, Loblaw Cos, Maple Leaf Foods, Magna Entertainment, and Torstar.

Thursday brings another heavy slate of reports with Call-Net Enterprises, Canada Life Financial, Domtar, Exxon Mobil, Great-West Lifeco, Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sun Life Financial, Thomson, and Walt Disney.

The flood eases on Friday with only Cameco, ChevronTexaco, and Molson scheduled to report.