The numbers never stop coming. But some mean more than others. Here are a few key indicators we'll see in the next 10 days, and what they're expected to say about the temperature of the economy.

Friday

Revised second-quarter gross domestic product

The second, more precise, take on total output. While the initial report reflected 2.4 percent growth, economists surveyed by Bloomberg now think it will be more like 1.4 percent. That's well below what it takes to fuel a healthy economy.

Monday

July consumer spending

Consumer spending is 70 percent of the economy, so boosting it is the easiest path toward growth. But spending has been flat the last few months, and that didn't change in July. Economists predict 0.1 percent growth, nothing to write home about.

Wednesday, Thursday

ISM manufacturing survey/factory orders

Two key manufacturing reports come out and are expected to reflect a slowdown in that sector, too. Experts think the Institute for Supply Management survey will still be positive, but falling for the second straight month, while new factory orders will grow 1.2 percent, after two straight down months.

Sept. 3

August jobs report

For most of us, this is the big one. The unemployment rate is expected to notch back up a 10th of a point, to 9.6 percent, and the economy to shed 113,000 jobs, mostly from government payrolls. Private employment is seen as climbing, but by just 46,000. For perspective, to gain back the 7.8 million jobs lost since December 2007 as fast as we lost them, we would need to average 253,000 new jobs a month. We're not even close.