US Data: Highlights of Market Survey of Economic Forecasts

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 21:06 GMT Mar 17/17:06 EST Mar 17

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

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

presents the key elements behind the median forecasts.

Housing Starts & Building Permits for February (millions)                   

 Wednesday, March 18 at 8:30 a.m. ET                     Actual:

                         Median:                      Feb20  Jan20   Dec19      

Starts                   1.500m                          -- 1.567m  1.626m  

Permits                  1.500m                          -- 1.551m  1.420m  

     Comments: February housing starts and building permits are both expected to

fall slightly to 1.500m.

Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (index)

 Thursday, March 19 at 8:30 a.m. ET                        Actual:        

               Median:                                Mar20  Feb20  Jan20   

Index            10.0                                    --   36.7   17.0     

     Comments: The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index is expected to fall

sharply to 10.0 in February, down from 36.7 in February, which was the highest

reading since February 2017.

Initial Jobless Claims (thousands)

 Thursday, March 19 at 8:30 a.m. EST                      Actual:

                   Median                        March14  March07  Feb29        

Claims               220k                             --     211k   215k        

Comments: Jobless claims are expected to climb to 220k, above the 4-week moving

average of 214k stated in the latest BLS report. So far, the jobless claims

report has not captured any detectable effect from the covid-19 pandemic or the

recent oil shock.

4th Quarter 2019 Current Account Balance (billions) 

 Thursday, March 19 at 8:30 a.m. ET                       Actual:        

                       Median                       4Q19    3Q19    Q219      

Balance               -$108.8b                       --  -$124.1b -$125.2b 

Comments: The current account balance for the fourth quarter of 2019 is expected

to move to -$108.8b, up from the third quarter's reading of -$124.1b.

February Existing Home Sales (millions)

 Friday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET                      

                                                              Actual:        

                      Median:                           Feb20  Jan20  Dec19   

Existing Home Sales    5.51m                               --  5.46m  5.53m 

Comments: Existing home sales are expected to come in at 5.51 million, up from

January's 5.46 million.

--MNI Washington Bureau; +1 202 371 2121; email: ryan.hauser@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MTABLE]