MNI European Morning Briefing

     LONDON (MNI) - The European economic docket kicks off at 0700GMT with

German Industrial Production data.

     At 0745GMT French Current Account and Foreign Trade figures are on the

schedule.

     The UK Halifax House Price Index will hit the wires at 0830GMT.

     At 0900GMT Italian Retail Sales figures will be published.

     There are also several ECB speakers at 0900GMT, ECB Executive Board member

Sabine Lautenschlaeger, and ECB Supervisory Board chair Daniele Nouy will make

statements at the Annual Press Conference of ECB Banking Supervision, in

Frankfurt.

     Of interest to US traders will be comments from Dallas Federal Reserve Bank

President Rob Kaplan who is to participate in a moderated Q&A at the Institute

for Monetary and Financial Stability Working Lunch in Frankfurt, Germany, with

audience Q&A at 1100GMT.

     Across the Atlantic the data calendar begins with the US MBA Weekly

Applications Index at 1200GMT.

     Also at 1200GMT are the weekly questions to the Prime Minister in UK

Parliament.

     At 1330GMT New York Federal Reserve Bank President William Dudley is to

speak at "Banking Culture: Still Room for Improvement?" in New York, with

audience Q&A.

     Also at 1330GMT is Canadian Building Permits data.

     The weekly DoE Crude Inventory figures will be published at 1530GMT.

     At 1600GMT the Kansas City Labour Market Condition Index will be released.

     Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Evans is to speak about

current economic conditions and monetary policy at the "Iowa Bankers Association

Bank Management Conference" in Des Moines, Iowa, with audience and media Q&A at

1615GMT.

     At 2000GMT US Consumer Credit data will be released, alongside final US

Treasury Allotments.

     Consumer credit is expected to rise by $20.0 billion in December after a

$28.0 billion jump in November. Retail sales rose by 0.4%, both including and

excluding motor vehicles, smaller gains than have been seen in recent months.

     Rounding off the day at 2230GMT San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank

President John Williams will deliver remarks at the "Community Leaders Luncheon"

in Honolulu, Hawaii, with audience and media Q&A.

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com