On tap for Friday: March Empire.....>

US DATA PREVIEW: On tap for Friday: March Empire Manufacturing Index; February

industrial production and capacity utilization; March Michigan sentiment index;

JOLTS job openings level and quits rate.

- Morgan Stanley economists said that "after industrial production took a plunge

in January, we look for a modest recovery of 0.3% in February. Overall

manufacturing production will likely be soft given the 0.3% drop in factory

hours worked in the February employment report, while we look for utilities and

mining output to rise."

- According to Nomura, industrial production "likely rose 0.3% m-o-m in February

after a weaker-than-expected 0.6% decline in January. We expect a modest rebound

in ex-auto manufacturing sector output after a 0.2% decline in January."