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

US DATA PREVIEW: Salient data highlights for Friday (estimates): Retail sales

(0.8% prior, 0.1% estimate); industrial production (0.1% prior, 0.5% est);

capacity utilization (78.4% prior, 78.7% est). 

- Morgan Stanley economists said they "look for a 0.5% month-over-month gain in

core retail sales (which we define as retail sales and food services excluding

auto dealers, gas stations and home improvement stores)."

- RBC/NatWest said retail sales control looks "poised for a 0.7% sequential

advance in November. We look for strong trends in chain-store sales to translate

into a strong month for retail activity more broadly."

- Deutsche Bank est' 0.3% for retail sales, will "likely see a slight drag from

unit motor vehicle sales last month (17.4M vs. 17.5M previously). However, sales

excluding autos (+0.4% vs. +0.7%) should remain sturdy, consistent with the

still healthy gain in nominal income implied by the November employment report."

As to IP, DB est' +0.1%, the "modest uptick in manufacturing aggregate hours

evident in last Friday's jobs report should bode well, but a decline in mining

and logging hours and flat utility output balance out the risks."