US Data: Highlights of Market Survey of Economic Forecasts

     WASHINGTON (MNI)  - 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.

     Existing Home Sales for March (millions)

 Tuesday, April 21 at 10:00am ET                      

                                                              Actual        

                      Median                            Mar20  Feb20  Jan20   

Existing Home Sales    5.25m                               --  5.77m  5.53m  

     Comments: March existing home sales are expected to come in at 5.25

million,

down from February's 5.77 million, which would constitute the largest drop in

existing home sales since the 1 million m/m decline recorded in July 2010. The

NAHB

home builder sentiment index registered a historic drop in March, and analysts

report that consumer sentiment on home buying conditions for early April is

already worse than the lows last seen during the housing crisis a decade ago.

     February FHFA Home Price Index (percent change)

 Wednesday, April 22 at 9:00am ET                         

                                                            Actual

                    Median                            Feb20  Jan20  Dec19      

Index                +0.3%                               --  +0.3%  +0.6%  

          Comments: The FHFA Home price index is expected to increase by +0.3%

after

posting a +0.3% increase in January.

     Initial Jobless Claims (millions)

 Thursday, April 23 at 8:30am ET                        

                                                            Actual

                   Median                             Apr18  Apr11  Apr04       

Claims             4.500m                                -- 5.245m 6.615m      

     Comments: U.S. jobless claims filed through April 18 are expected to reach

4.5

million this week after rising to 5.2 million last week. Last week's data

suggests initial claims have peaked and should gradually decline from this point

forward, though still remain in the millions, according to analysts. The current

trend correlates to an unemployment rate of around 20% for April, analysts said.

     March New Home Sales (thousands)

 Thursday, April 23 at 10:00am ET                                               

                                                            Actual

                    Median                            Mar20  Feb20  Jan20     

Sales                 640k                               --   765k   800k      

          Comments: March new home sales are expected at 640,000, down from

February's 765,000, marking what would be the lowest level since May 2019.

     Durable Goods Orders for March (percent change)

 Friday, April 24 at 8:30am ET                        

                                                            Actual        

                          Median                      Apr20  Feb20  Jan20     

New orders                -12.0%                         --  +1.2%  +0.1%    

Ex trans                   -6.5%                         --  -0.6%  +0.6%   

          Comments: The March durable goods report is expected to show new

orders

dropping by -12.0% following February's 1.2% uptick. This would constitute the

biggest drop since August 2014 when new orders fell by -18.4%. A decline in

aircraft should comprise more than half of decline, according to Credit Suisse,

as Boeing has reported a -282 drop in net orders. New orders excluding

transportation are expected to fall -6.5% after dropping -0.6% in February. This

would mark the largest m/m decline in new orders excluding transport since

January 2009 (-10.2%) during the global financial crisis.

     University of Michigan Survey of Consumers for April (final)

 Friday, April 24 at 10:00am ET                          Actual

                          Median                    Apr20(f) Mar20  Feb20    

Consumer Sent               67.5                         --   89.1  101.0 

Comments: The Michigan consumer sentiment index is expected to fall to 67.5

after a preliminary reading of 71.0. This would mark a 21.6 point drop from

March's 89.1 reading, the biggest drop ever recorded on the index and the lowest

reading since November 2011. Last month's 11.9 point fall in consumer sentiment

was the biggest drop since October 2008.

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

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