MNI US DATA:Median GDP Forecast 2.7%, Unrevised By Latest Data

     WASHINGTON (MNI) - Despite some analysts revising forecasts for 3Q advance

GDP in response to Wednesday's durables and new home sales reports and

Thursday's advance goods trade report, there was no clear consensus on upward

nor downward revisions for the data report to released Friday morning. 

     While analysts such as UBS, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan raised estimates

due to what they viewed as positive economic indicators, First Trust and

Barclays lowered their estimates based on the 1.0% decline in advance retail

inventories and the trade deficit widening further than they expected,

respectively. Showcasing the uncertainty going into GDP forecasts, Amherst

Pierpont notes that the trade gap actually widened less than they expected, but

that advanced inventories was softer - offsetting each other. 

     With a lack of consensus on the impact of this week's data, the MNI

survey's median forecast for 3Q advance GDP remains unchanged at 2.7%.

     A full preview of the advance GDP report by MNI's Holly Stokes and Sara

Haire will be posted this afternoon.

--MNI Washington Bureau; +1 202-371-2121; email: holly.stokes@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: M$U$$$]