MONDAY BUSINESS : PREVIEW: Some of the major business and economic events scheduled for this week : Investors, Fed Watching August Jobless Report

The Labor Department will release August unemployment figures Friday, and those numbers will be critical in shaping market expectations about whether the Federal Reserve might raise rates at its next meeting Oct 5. Last week, the Fed nudged up interest rates, signaling that it is keeping its options open about future rate hikes. Economists are expecting the August unemployment rate to have fallen to 4.2% in August from 4.3% in July, and the economy probably added 216,000 nonfarm jobs on top of the 310,000 added in July. But if the data is surprisingly strong, however, it is likely to reignite Wall Street speculation about a near-term rate hike.

Another report to be issued this week will probably show that manufacturing exhibited more signs of strength in August. The purchasing managers’ index, a gauge of factory orders and production, probably increased to 54.5 in August from 53.4 during July, analysts said. The National Assn. of Purchasing Management will release that report Wednesday.

A Commerce Department report for release Thursday is expected to show that factory orders increased 1.2% in July--reflecting strong demand for autos, computers and electronics--after climbing 0.7% during June, analysts said.

Meanwhile, the Big 3 auto makers will be reporting August sales this week. Car and light truck sales are on track to post their strongest annual showing in more than a decade, analysts predict.

In other reports to be issued this week:

* The Commerce Department is expected to report today that sales of new single-family homes probably fell in July as higher mortgage rates began to restrain purchases. New-home sales probably fell 1.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 911,000 units in July.

* The Conference Board is expected to report Tuesday that consumer confidence in the U.S. economy retreated in August for a second consecutive month after reaching its highest level in more than 30 years. The group’s index of consumer confidence probably declined to 134.2 from 135.6 in July.

* Another Conference Board index, set for release Wednesday, is expected to point to more growth. The index of leading economic indicators, intended to project economic growth during the next six to nine months, probably increased 0.2% in July after rising 0.3% during June, analysts said.

* The Commerce Department is expected to report Wednesday that construction spending increased 0.3% during July, the second consecutive monthly gain, after rising 0.5% in June.

* On Thursday, the Labor Department is expected to release revised figures on second-quarter productivity. Productivity, a gauge of worker output, probably increased at a 1% annual rate in the second quarter, analysts said. The initial report showed a 1.3% gain.