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US Data: Highlights of MNI Survey of Economic Forecasts

     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.    
Housing Starts for August (annual rate, million)                        
 Tuesday, September 19 at 8:30 a.m. ET                   Actual:        
           Median           Range                   Aug17  Jul17  Jun17 
 Starts    1.170m      1.132m to 1.225m                 -- 1.155m 1.213m
     Comments: The seasonally adjusted pace of housing starts is        
expected to rise to a 1.170 million annual rate in August after a       
decline in July, with Hurricane Harvey likely trimming some building    
from the South region. The real hurricane impact will be seen in next   
month's data, when Harvey and Irma should both subtract from new home   
building. In addition, soft building permits in July may restrict an    
August bounceback. Total starts were down 5.4% year/year before seasonal
adjustment in July, while permits were up 2.6%.                         
Existing-home Sales for August (annual rate)                            
 Wednesday, September 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET                Actual:        
                 Median         Range                Aug17  Jul17  Jun17
 Home Resales     5.47m      5.40m to 5.50m             --  5.44m  5.51m
     Comments: The pace of existing home sales is expected to partially 
rebound to a 5.47 million annual rate in August after falling by 1.3% in
July. Sales were unchanged from a year earlier before seasonal          
adjustment. Pending home sales fell 0.8% in July, a downside risk for   
the existing home sales data in August. Supply fell 1.0% in July and was
down 9.0% from a year earlier, an indication of that supply shortage    
continues.                                                              
Weekly Jobless Claims for September 16 week                             
 Thursday, September 21 at 8:30 a.m. ET                  Actual:        
                  Median         Range               Sep16  Sep09  Sep02
 Weekly Claims      303k     300k to 310k               --   284k   298k
     Comments: The level of initial jobless claims is expected to       
rebound by 19,000 to 303,000 in the September 16 employment survey week 
after a 14,000 decline in the previous week. Initial and continuing     
filings in hurricane-impact regions will continue to pile up for weeks  
to come, including any back-logged claims in areas where filing could   
not occur in previous weeks. Claims were at a level of 232,000 in the   
August 12 employment survey week, so the comparison is unfavorable even 
when accounting for special factors. Seasonal factors do expect an      
unadjusted increase this week, though not likely as much as will        
actually occur. The four-week moving average would rise by 17,000 in the
coming week as the 235,000 level in the August 19 week drops out of the 
calculation, assuming the MNI forecast is correct and there are no      
revisions.                                                              
Philadelphia Federal Reserve Index for September (diffusion index)      
 Thursday, September 21 at 8:30 a.m. ET                  Actual:        
             Median         Range                    Sep17  Aug17  Jul17
 Phila Fed     18.9      17.0 to 20.0                   --   18.9   19.5
     Comments: The Philadelphia Fed index is forecast to hold steady at 
a reading of 18.9 in September following the declines in each of the    
previous three months.                                                  
Leading Indicators for August (percent change)                          
 Thursday, September 21 at 10:00 a.m. ET                 Actual:        
                 Median         Range                Aug17  Jul17  Jun17
 Leading Index    +0.2%      +0.1% to +0.5%             --  +0.3%  +0.6%
     Comments: The index of leading indicators is forecast to rise by   
0.2% in August. Positive contributions are expected from stronger       
jobless claims, higher stock prices and consumer expectations, and a    
longer factory workweek.                                                
--MNI Washington Bureau; +1 202-371-2121; email: holly.stokes@marketnews.com
[TOPICS: M$U$$$]

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