US Data: Highlights of MNI Survey of Economic Forecasts

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 20:06 GMT Oct 19/16:06 EST Oct 19

     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.   

Treasury Statement for September ($ billions)                           

 Date to be announced                                    Actual:        

             Median           Range              Sep17    Aug17    Sep16

 Balance     +$5.5b     +$4.0b to +$7.0b            -- -$107.7b  +$33.5b

     Comments: The Treasury statement for September, and FY 2017, should

show some deterioration from the previous year. For September           

specifically, a shift in transfer payments from October and outlays for 

hurricane-relief should be significant factors that will offset tax     

receipts. As a result, analysts expect a roughly balanced budget for the

September tax  month, down from a $33.5 billion surplus in September    

2016.                                                                           

Existing-home Sales for September (annual rate)                         

 Friday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET                     Actual:        

                 Median         Range                Sep17  Aug17  Jul17

 Home Resales     5.30m      5.10m to 5.38m             --  5.35m  5.44m

     Comments: The pace of existing home sales is expected to decelerate

further to a 5.30 million annual rate in September after falling in each

of the last three months. Sales were likely set back by the hurricanes, 

but could rebound early in 2018 due to the back-up of sales that could  

not be processed in the impacted areas. Pending home sales fell by 2.6% 

in August, a downside risk for the existing home sales data in          

September. Supply fell 2.1% in August and was down 6.5% from a year     

earlier, an indication of that supply shortage continues. In areas      

impacted by the hurricanes, the shortage of new homes for people to     

trade up to will likely continue for some time.                         

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