March Employment Preview - 08:30............>

US DATA: March Employment Preview - 08:30 EDT/13:30 BST

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- Nonfarm payrolls are expected to rise by 170,000 based on the Bloomberg

consensus and by 165,000 based on an MNI survey of analysts. This follows sharp

gains in December and January and a very weak 20,000 gain in February.

- There is bias toward overestimates in March, with high misses occurring in six

of the last seven years.

- The data leading up to Friday's report have been mixed, with the ADP report

weaker than many expected, but strong ISM employment measures than in February 

- The unemployment rate is expected to stay at 3.8% by both BBG and MNI after

dipping to that point in February.

- Hourly earnings are expected to rise 0.3% by both BBG and MNI, which should

leave the year/year rate at 3.4% barring a revision to the previous month's 0.4%

jump.