US Data: Highlights of MNI Survey of Economic Forecasts

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 21:06 GMT Sep 5/17:06 EST Sep 5

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

upcoming U.S. economic indicators provided by participants in the MNI   

weekly survey. The comment section presents the key elements behind the 

median forecasts.    

Trade in Goods and Services for July (deficit, billion $)               

 Wednesday, September 6 at 8:30 a.m. ET                  Actual:        

              Median           Range               Jul17   Jun17   May17

 Trade Gap   -$44.8b      -$45.5b to -$44.0b          -- -$43.6b -$46.4b

     Comments: The international trade gap is expected to widen modestly

to $44.8 billion in July. The advance estimate of the Census goods trade

gap widened to $65.1 billion in July, with exports down 1.3% and imports

down 0.3%.                                                              

ISM Non-manufacturing Index for August                                  

 Wednesday, September 6 at 10:00 a.m. ET                 Actual:        

              Median        Range                    Aug17  Jul17  Jun17

 ISM NMI        56.0     54.0 to 57.0                   --   53.9   57.4

     Comments: The ISM nonmanufacturing index is expected to rebound to 

a reading of 56.0 in August after falling to 53.9 in July. The flash    

Markit Services estimate rose to 56.9 in August from 54.2 in July.      

Weekly Jobless Claims for September 2 week                              

 Thursday, September 7 at 8:30 a.m. ET                   Actual:        

                  Median         Range               Sep02  Aug26  Aug19

 Weekly Claims      248k     235k to 265k               --   236k   235k

     Comments: The level of initial jobless claims is expected to rise  

by 12,000 to 248,000 in the August 26 week after a 1,000 increase in the

previous week, possibly reflecting filings in the hurricane-affected    

regions. The four-week moving average, which has declined for five      

straight weeks, would rise by 1,000 in the coming week as the 244,000     

level in the August 5 week drops out of the calculation, assuming the   

MNI forecast is correct and there are no revisions.                     

Nonfarm Productivity for Second Quarter, revised (ann rate % change)    

 Thursday, September 7 at 8:30 a.m. ET                   Actual:        

                   Median         Range              2Q17r  2Q17p   1Q17

 Productivity       +1.4%     +0.9% to +1.5%            --  +0.9%  +0.1%

 Unit Labor Costs   +0.3%     +0.1% to +0.6%            --  +0.6%  +5.4%

     Comments: Nonfarm productivity is expected to be revised up to a   

1.4% rate of growth in the second quarter, as the output component      

should be revised up based on the GDP data. Unit labor costs are        

expected to be revised down to a 0.3% rate.                                

Consumer Credit for July (dollar change, billions)                      

 Friday, September 8 at 3:00 p.m. ET                     Actual:        

             Median           Range                Jul17   Jun17   May17

 Cons Cred  +$15.0b    +$14.0b to +$17.4b             -- +$12.4b +$18.3b

     Comments: Consumer credit is expected to rise by $15.0 billion in  

July after a $12.4 billion rise in June. Retail sales rose 0.6% and were

still up 0.5% excluding a 1.2% surge in motor vehicle sales.            

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