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.  

Leading Indicators for October (percent change)                         

 Monday, November 20 at 10:00 a.m. ET                    Actual:        

                 Median          Range               Oct17  Sep17  Aug17

 Leading Index    +0.6%      +0.3% to +1.1%             --  -0.2%  +0.4%

     Comments: The index of leading indicators is forecast to rise by   

0.6% in October. Positive contributions are expected from stronger      

consumer expectations and stock prices, as well as the reversal in      

jobless claims back to normal levels following the sharp September      

run-up after the hurricanes.                                            

Existing-home Sales for October (annual rate)                           

 Tuesday, November 21 at 10:00 a.m. ET                     Actual:      

                 Median         Range                Oct17  Sep17  Aug17

 Home Resales     5.41m     5.30m to 5.50m              --  5.39m  5.35m

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

slightly to a 5.41 million annual rate in October after a small uptick  

in September. Pending home sales held steady in September and were down 

sharply from a year earlier, a downside risk for the existing home sales

data in October. Supply rose by 1.6% in September, but was still down   

6.4% from a year earlier, an indication that the supply shortage        

continues.                                                              

Weekly Jobless Claims for November 18 week                              

 Wednesday, November 22 at 8:30 a.m. ET                    Actual:      

                  Median         Range               Nov18  Nov11  Nov04

 Weekly Claims      240k      225k to 243k              --   249k   239k

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

by 9,000 to 240,000 in the November 18 employment survey week after a   

10,000 increase in the previous week. Claims were at a level of 223,000 

in the October 14 employment survey week. The four-week moving average  

would rise by 1,500 in the coming week as the 234,000 level in the      

October 21 week drops out of the calculation, assuming the MNI forecast 

is correct and there are no revisions.                                  

Durable Goods Orders for October (percent change)                       

 Wednesday, November 22 at 8:30 a.m. ET                   Actual:       

               Median        Range                   Oct17  Sep17  Aug17

 New Orders     +0.4%     -0.5% to +1.6%                --  +2.0%  +2.1%

 Ex-Transport   +0.5%     -0.4% to +0.6%                --  +0.7%  +0.8%

     Comments: Durable goods orders are expected to rise by 0.4% in     

October after a 2.0% gain in September. Boeing orders fell slightly to  

64 from 72 in September, suggesting nondefense aircraft orders could    

slow modestly, but remain strong. Orders excluding transportation are   

expected to rise 0.5% after a 0.7% gain in September.                   

University of Michigan Survey for November (final)                      

 Wednesday, November 22 at 10:00 a.m. ET                     Actual:    

                Median           Range              Nov17f Nov17p  Oct17

 Consumer Sent    98.0       97.8 to 101.0              --   97.8  100.7

     Comments: The Michigan Sentiment index is expected to be revised up

modestly to a reading of 98.0 in November, but remain well below the    

100.7 reading in October.                                               

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

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