US Data: Highlights of Market Estimates of Economic Forecasts

     WASHINGTON (MNI) - The following are highlights of forecasts for upcoming

U.S. economic indicators provided by Bloomberg estimates. The comment section

presents the key elements behind the median forecasts. 

Producer Price Index for November (percent change) 

 Thursday, Dec 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET                           Actual:

                  Median:                              Nov19  Oct19  Sep19

PPI                +0.2%                                  --  +0.4%  -0.3%

Core PPI           +0.2%                                  --  +0.3%  -0.3%

     Comments: PPI and Core PPI for November are both expected to increase by

+0.2% with core services slated to be the main driver of core PPI.

Weekly Jobless Claims

 Thursday, December 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET                      Actual: 

                  Median:                               Dec07 Nov30 Nov23

Initial Claims     214K                                    --  203K  213K

     Comments: Weekly jobless claims are expected to reach 215K for the week

ending December 7. November 30 jobless claims were filed at 203K, below

consensus expectations. Despite concerns about a two-week spike in early

November, the data now suggest the risk of rising claims levels is decreased in

the near-term.

Import/Export Prices for November (percent change)

 Friday, Dec. 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET                            Actual:

                    Median:                            Nov19  Oct19  Sep19   

Import Price Index    +0.2%                               --  -0.5%  +0.1%

Export Price Index    +0.1%                               --  -0.1%  -0.2%

     Comments: The import price index is expected to increase +0.2% after a

-0.5% downturn in October. The export price index is expected to increase by

+0.1% after three straight months of decline.

Retail Sales for November(percent change) 

 Friday, December 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET                     Actual:                

                  Median:                              Nov19 Oct19 Sep19

Retail Sales       +0.5%                                  -- +0.3% -0.3%

Retail ex mv       +0.4%                                  -- +0.2% -0.1%

Retail ex mv+gas   +0.4%                                  -- +0.1% -0.1%

Comments: November retail sales are expected to increase by +0.4%, bolstered by

strong vehicle sales. The key retail sales control group (which excludes autos,

building permits and gas stations) is also expected to come in at +0.4%, up from

+0.3% last month.

Business Inventories for October (percent change) 

 Friday, December 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET                        Actual:

                 Median                                 Oct19 Sep19 Aug19

Inventories       +0.2%                                    --  flat -0.1%

     Comments: Business inventories for October are expected to meet consensus

expectations of a +0.2% increase, keeping with the preliminary October reading.

Wholesale inventories rose +0.1% in October, according to data released Friday. 

--MNI Washington Bureau; +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: ryan.hauser@marketnews.com

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