MNI Global Morning Briefing

     LONDON (MNI) - The calendar for Thursday remains quiet except for the

release of German and French final inflation data at 0700GMT and 0745GMT,

respectively. In the US the release of initial jobless claims at 1230GMT and

data on new home sales at 14000GMT are the main points of interest.

     The flash value for HICP m/m (Feb) in Germany increased by 0.5% whereas the

year-on-year figure grew by 1.7%. The MNI median expects these figures to be

unrevised. February's flash value for CPI m/m was 0.5% and 1.6% y/y, which was

slightly above the MNI median's expectation.

     According to the flash estimate for February French HICP m/m grew by 0.1%

and 1.5% y/y. The MNI median does not anticipate a change in the current

figures. The flash estimate for the February CPI m/m was 0.0% and 1.3% y/y.

     The level of initial jobless claims in the US is expected to rise to

225,000 according to the MNI median. The previous value was 223,000. Moreover,

the figure for new home sales is anticipated to increase by 3,000 to 624,000 in

February.

     At 1600GMT ECB Governing Council member -- and likely new Chief Economist

-- Philip Lane speaks in Dublin.

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