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 February (annual rate, million)                      

 Friday, March 16 at 8:30 a.m. ET                        Actual:        

           Median            Range                   Feb18  Jan18  Dec17

 Starts    1.287m       1.230m to 1.345m                -- 1.326m 1.209m

     Comments: The seasonally adjusted pace of housing starts is        

expected to pull back to a 1.287 million annual rate in February after  

surging in January. The NAHB index was revised down to 71 in February   

after 72 in January.                                                    

Industrial Production for February (percent change)                     

 Friday, March 16 at 9:15 a.m. ET                        Actual:        

              Median          Range                  Feb18  Jan18  Dec17

 Ind Prod     +0.4%        Flat to +0.8%                --  -0.1%  +0.4%

 Cap Util     77.8%       77.4% to 78.1%                --  77.5%  77.7%

     Comments: Industrial production is expected to rise 0.4% in        

February after a 0.1% decline in the previous month, with manufacturing 

production expected to post a modest increase. Factory payrolls rose by 

31,000 in February, while auto production jobs rose by 6,000 and the    

factory workweek lengthened to 41.0 hours from 40.8 hours in January.   

The ISM production index fell to 62.0 in the current month from 64.5 in 

the previous month. Utilities production is expected to slip in the     

month after a 0.6% January gain, as the weather was warmer than usual   

across most of the US. Mining production is forecast to finally advance 

after posting declines in the previous two months despite a rising rig  

count in January. Capacity utilization is forecast to rise to 77.8% from

77.5% in January.                                                       

University of Michigan Survey for March (preliminary)                   

 Friday, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET                        Actual:       

                Median           Range              Mar18p  Feb18  Jan18

 Consumer Sent  99.0          97.5 to 101.0             --   99.7   95.7

     Comments: The University of Michigan Sentiment index is expected to

dip to 99.0 in early-March from 99.7 in February, reflecting some of the

recent market volatility.                                               

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

[TOPICS: M$U$$$]