MNI Global Morning Briefing

     LONDON (MNI) - A quiet day is on the cards Thursday, with the calendar

showing limited data and and few speeches.

     The calendar kicks off at 0800GMT is the VDMA machine orders in Germany for

September. The previous y/y growth rate was 3%.

     ECB Supervisory Board chair Daniele Nouy speaks in Vienna at 0930GMT. Ten

minutes later at 0940GMT, New York Federal Reserve Bank Executive Vice President

Kevin Stiroh speaks at the Financial Services Industry conference in London.

Next up is Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Randall Quarles, speaking in St. Louis,

Missouri at 1215GMT.

     The level of U.S. initial jobless claims is expected to fall by 4,000 to a

210,000 level in the September 29 week after an increase of 12,000 to 214,000 in

the previous week as the impact of Hurricane Florence was partially observed.

The four-week moving average would rise by 1,250 in the coming week as the

205,000 level in the September 1 week rolls out of the calculation, assuming the

MNI median forecast is correct and there are no revisions.

     Factory orders in the US, expected at 1400GMT, are expected to rise by 2.1%

in August. Durable goods orders rose by 4.5% in the month on a jump in

transportation orders, while nondurables orders are expected to rise modestly on

an increase in energy prices. Durable orders excluding transportation were up

only 0.1%, so total factory orders excluding transportation are expected to post

another small gain.

     ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure speaking in France, starting at

1600GMT.

     Into the evening, and Australia sees the release of the at AI Group/HIA

construction index for September at 2230GMT. The August reading was 51.8.

     Japan is next at 2330GMT with their household spending data for September

and earnings data for August at 0000GMT. Household spending is expected to

decline from August's 0.1% y/y to -0.4%. In July, total wages grew by 1.6% on a

y/y basis.

     Last on the calendar is Australia again, with the retail trade data for

August at 0130GMT. July saw an unchanged m/m growth rate from June.

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