MNI Global Morning Briefing

     LONDON (MNI) - Wednesday's calendar lingers at the beginning but picks up

pace as the day goes on. Starting in France at 0645GMT, when Industrial

Production data for March will be released. February saw m/m and y/y growth of

1.2% and 4.0% respectively.

     Next up is Spain with their industrial production figures at 0700GMT.

February saw y/y growth in industrial production of 3.1%.

     Italy's retail sales data concludes the morning at 0800GMT. February saw a

unimpressive y/y growth rate of -0.6% whereas m/m growth stood at 0.4%.

     US final demand PPI (1230GMT) is expected to rise 0.3% in April after a

0.3% gain in March. Energy prices are expected to surge after a dip in March,

with gasoline a driving factor, food prices are expected to flatten after

surging in the previous month. Excluding food and energy prices, PPI is forecast

to rise 0.2% after a stronger than expected 0.3% increase in the previous month.

     Also at 1230GMT is building permits in Canada which grew at a rate of -2.6%

previously.

     In the evening at 1715GMT is Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael

Bostic speaking in Jacksonville, Florida.

     New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and China close

     The RBNZ make their official cash rate decision at 2100GMT. Analysts

anticipate an unchanged rate from the prior of 1.75%.

     Japan at 0050GMT release a summary of options presented at the 26-27th

April policy meeting.

     This is followed by the Melbourne Institute Inflation expectations survey

at 0100GMT which previously had the trim mean at 3.6%.

     Concluding the calendar at 0130GMT is China with their CPI and PPI data.

Year-on-year CPI is expected to drop slightly from 2.1% to 1.9% whereas PPI is

forecasted by analysts to grow 3.5% on a y/y basis compared to 3.1% previously.

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