The business week ahead

Heads up: On Monday, the Institute for Supply Management releases its monthly manufacturing index; its service-sector index is out Wednesday. Tuesday, major automakers report U.S. auto sales. Wednesday's reports includethe Federal Reserve's "Beige Book" and the Labor Department's third-quarter productivity figures. On Thursday, the Commerce Department releases October factory orders and major retailers report November sales results. The week ends with an attention-grabber — Friday's report on the U.S. jobless rate for November.

Monday: Washington Mutual employees will know by this day whether they are keeping their jobs after JPMorgan Chase's buyout of the company. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is in town; he'll speak to employees in the morning and to business and civic leaders at lunchtime. ... The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace counts ballots that will determine the outcome of union contracts covering nearly 20,400 Boeing engineers and technical workers.

Thursday: The Northwest Multiple Listing Service releases Puget Sound-area home sales numbers. ... Starbucks webcasts its Biennial Analyst Conference in New York, 5-9:30 a.m. Seattle time, at http://investor.starbucks.com.