The Week Ahead, Aug. 11-15

KEY EVENT: Looking up. Although the number of jobs in New York State has increased considerably since the Great Recession, higher-paying jobs have been slow to return. But that may be changing. Last month's Federal Reserve Bank of New York's manufacturing survey showed "business conditions improved significantly" for the third straight month and reached the highest point since April 2010. Will the trend continue? The answer comes Friday with the release of the August Empire State manufacturing survey.

MONDAY: Earnings from Lynbrook biopharmaceuticals maker BioSpecifics Technologies, Melville TV graphics systems supplier ChyronHego, Lake Success software maker Dealertrack Technologies and Long Beach payments processor Planet Payment.

TUESDAY: The small business optimism index for July from the National Federation of Independent Business.

WEDNESDAY: The Commerce Department releases retail sales for July. Earnings: Cisco Systems, Macy's.

THURSDAY: Long Island jobs created in July from the state Labor Department and national jobless benefits claims for the week ended Aug. 9 from the U.S. Labor Department. Earnings: Nordstrom, Kohl's.

FRIDAY: The U.S. Labor Department July posts producer prices, an update look on inflation at the wholesale level. Also, consumer sentiment in early August from the University of Michigan.