MNI Global Morning Briefing

     LONDON (MNI) - The three key releases for Wednesday are the February EU

Economic Sentiment Indicator at 1000GMT, Canada January CPI data at 1330GMT and

US December factory orders at 1500GMT.

     At 0530GMT, BOJ member Kataoka is slated to speak. ECB Executive Board

member Benoit Coeure is speaking in a conference on CCP Risk Management in

Frankfurt, from 0830GMT. 

     The economic sentiment indicator in the EU is expected to drop in February

to 106.0 from 106.2 in January. 

     In Canada, CPI is expected to tick down noticeably in January to 1.4% y/y

from 2.0% previously.  

     Factory orders are expected to rise by 0.6% in December after declines in

October and November. Durable goods orders were already reported up 1.2%.

However, factory orders are likely to be a bit of a disappointment as durable

goods excluding transportation rose only 0.1% and nondurables orders should

decline lower energy prices. 

     Concluding the Wednesday speeches at 1500GMT, The House Of Representatives

conduct the second leg of Fed Chair Powell's semi-annual Humphrey-Hawkins

hearing.

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