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. 

November Housing Starts & Building Permits (millions)                   

 Tuesday, December 17th at 8:30 a.m. ET                           Actual:

                           Median                            Nov19  Oct19  Sep19

Starts                     1.340m                               --  1.314  1.266

Permits                    1.405m                               --  1.461  1.387

     Comments: Housing Starts & Building Permits are expected to remain

relatively steady at 1.340m and 1.405m, respectively.

November Industrial Production (percent change)

 Tuesday, December 17th at 9:15 a.m. ET                             

                                                                 Actual:        

                            Median                          Nov19  Oct19  Sep19 

Ind. Prod.                     0.8                                  -0.8   -0.3

Cap. Util.                    77.4                                  76.7   77.5 

     Comments: Industrial production is expected to rise 0.8% in November with

capital utilization rebounding to 77.4% from October's depressed 76.7% due to

the GM strike.

Weekly Jobless Claims (thousands)

 Thursday, December 19 at 8:30 a.m. ET                     

                                                                 Actual: 

                            Median:                          Dec14 Dec07 Nov30

Initial Claims                 252K                             --  252K  203K

     Comments: Weekly jobless claims are expected to stay at the elevated 252K

level for the week ending December 14. 

November Existing Home Sales (millions)

 Thursday, December 19th at 10:00 a.m. ET                 

                                                                 Actual:        

                            Median                           Nov19 Oct19  Sep19

Sales                         5.45                              --  5.46   5.38

     Comments: November existing home sales are anticipated to reach 5.45m, down

just 0.01m from October.

Q3 GDP (final estimate)

 Friday, December 20th at 8:30 a.m. ET                            

                                                                  Actual:       

                            Median                           Q3(f)  Q3(p)    Q2 

GDP                            2.1                             --    2.1    2.0 

Price Index                    1.8                             --    1.8    2.4 

     Comments: The final Q3 GDP estimate is projected to remain unchanged from

the second estimate at 2.1%, still above the final Q2 GDP estimate of 2.0%.

Despite a slowdown in global manufacturing which has bogged down business

spending and export growth, gains in consumer spending and rising consumer

confidence are likely to prop up the headline figure. The Q3 GDP price index is

also expected to remain unchanged from the second estimate at 1.8%, a slowdown

from 2.4% in the second quarter.

November Personal Income (percent change)

 Friday, December 20th at 10:00 a.m. ET                      

                                                                  Actual:       

                            Median                            Nov19 Oct19 Sep19

Personal income                0.3                               --  flat    0.2

Current dollar PCE             0.4                               --   0.3    0.3

PCE Price index                0.2                               --   0.2   flat

Core PCE price index           0.1                               --   0.1   flat

     Comments: Personal income in October is expected to grow at a 0.3% pace

after turning in flat in October. Current dollar personal consumption

expenditures is expected to grow 0.4%. PCE headline inflation is expected to

rise by 0.2% and core by 0.1%, same as in October. 

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

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