Here’s what to expect in the week ahead:

TRADE

More Nafta talks, but not with the top negotiators.

The members of the North American Free Trade Agreement gather again in Washington this week to discuss the future of the trade pact. Negotiations have been tense, but two things may take the pressure off this time: The countries are not describing these so-called “intersessional” talks as an official negotiating round and they are expected to focus on making progress on areas of agreement, including digital trade and customs, rather than the most tendentious issues. The next official Nafta negotiating round will be held in Montreal from Jan. 23 to 28. Ana Swanson

W.T.O. members will gather in Argentina.

Officials from the 164 members of the World Trade Organization converge on Buenos Aires this week for a ministerial conference, their first such high-level meeting in two years. While the body is close to announcing an agreement on curbing government fishing subsidies, expectations are low for it to make significant progress in advancing free trade. Instead, the focus will probably be on the posture of the United States under the Trump administration, which has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the W.T.O. and similar international organizations. Ana Swanson

ECONOMY

Inflation is rising, slowly.

The Labor Department will release data on Wednesday on consumer prices for November. The low rate of inflation has been a persistent economic mystery in recent months, as falling unemployment and rising economic growth have failed to push up prices. The period of weakness could be nearing its end — economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect the report on Wednesday to show that prices rose 2.2 percent in November from a year earlier, above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2 percent. But the steadier “core” measure of inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, has remained more muted. Ben Casselman

Fed expected to increase key interest rate.

Janet L. Yellen will most likely oversee her last major decision as Federal Reserve chairwoman on Wednesday. The Fed’s policymaking committee, which meets Tuesday and Wednesday, is widely expected to announce an increase in its benchmark interest rate for a third time this year. The expected decision would lift the rate to a range of 1.25 to 1.5 percent. The Fed has been raising rates despite the weakness of inflation because unemployment has fallen to a low level and job growth remains strong. After the Fed’s policy announcement, Ms. Yellen will hold her final news conference as Fed chairwoman. She plans to leave the Fed in early February. Binyamin Appelbaum