US Data: Highlights of Market Survey of Economic Forecasts

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 21:06 GMT May 15/17:06 EST May 15

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

U.S. economic indicators provided by Bloomberg. The comment section presents the

key elements behind the median forecasts.

NAHB Home Builder Index (index)

 Monday, May 18 at 10:00am (ET)                    

                                                         Actual

                       Median                      May20  Apr20  Mar20

Index                      34                         --     30     72     

     Comments:  The National Home Builder Index is slated to climb slightly to

34 from March's reading of 30, which was the lowest since June 2012.

Housing Starts & Building Permits (millions)                   

 Tuesday, May 19 at 8:30am (ET)                          

                                                         Actual

                         Median                    Apr20  Mar20   Feb20     

Starts                   0.950m                       -- 1.216m  1.564m   

Permits                  1.100m                       -- 1.350m  1.452m   

     Comments: April housing starts are expected to fall to 0.950 million in

what would be the lowest level since February 2015 when starts fell to 0.888

million. Building permits are expected to drop to 1.100 million in what would be

the lowest level since March 2015 when the permits hit 1.071 million.

Initial Jobless Claims (millions)

 Thursday, May 21 at 8:30am (ET)                     

                                                         Actual

                   Median                          May16  May09  May02       

Claims             2.450m                             -- 2.981m 3.176m      

     Comments: Jobless claims filed through May 16 are expected to reach 2.450

million Thursday after slowing to 2.981 million in the Labor Department's weekly

unemployment insurance report last week. The Labor Department has said the

coronavirus outbreak continues to push up the level of initial claims, which

analysts say should remain at levels above 1 million for at least several more

weeks. Continuing claims are also nearing a peak, analysts say, and climbed to

another record-setting 22.8 million level in last Thursday's report. 

Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (index)

 Thursday, May 21 at 8:30am (ET)                

                                                          Actual        

               Median                               May20  Apr20  Mar20    

Index              --                                  --  -56.6  -12.7       

     Comments: No BBG estimate is available at this time.

Existing Home Sales for April (millions)

 Thursday, May 21 at 10:00am (ET)                      

                                                          Actual        

                      Median                        Apr20  Mar20  Feb20

Existing Home Sales    4.30m                           --  5.27m  5.76m   

     Comments: April's existing home sales are expected to drop to 4.30 million,

down from March's 5.27 million, which would constitute the lowest level in

existing home sales since July 2011 when they hit 4.15 million.

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

[TOPICS: MTABLE]