Salient data highlights for.........>

US DATA PREVIEW: Salient data highlights for Thursday (estimates): Weekly

jobless claims (215k est); November import/export price indexes; Nov Treasury

budget balance (-$204.0b); $16B 30Y Bond auction.

- On weekly claims, Nomura said that "despite the recent uptick in initial

jobless claims, likely the result of inclement weather events and

holiday-related volatility, the labor market is likely to remain healthy in an

economy that, for the moment, continues to grow above potential."

- Deutsche Bank economists note "four-week moving average of jobless claims has

risen from a multi-decade low of 206k in the middle of September to 228k as of

the December 1 data...As of the latest data from last week, the four-week moving

average of claims was down -5.3%, which compares to -15.6% in Q3. Despite the

diminished downward momentum in claims, they still point to real GDP growth of

3%-plus over the next couple of quarters."