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.         

Personal Income for February (percent change)                          

 Friday, March 29 at 8:30 a.m. ET                         Actual:        

               Median         Range                  Feb19  Jan19  Dec18

 Income         +0.3%    -0.1% to +0.4%                --  -0.1%  +1.0% 

 Spending (Jan) +0.3%    +0.2% to +0.4%                --     --  -0.5%

 Core Prices(Jan)+0.2%   +0.1% to +0.2%                --     --  +0.2%

     Comments: Personal income is expected to rebound by 0.3% in 

February despite a drastic slowdown in employment growth and shorter 

workweek that was offset by a 0.4% increase in hourly earnings. This 

follows a 0.1% decline in January. Due to the after-effects of the 

shutdown, only January PCE data will be reported due to a lack of Census 

data and it is expected to rise by 0.3% due to rebound in retail sales. 

Core PCE prices are seen up 0.2% in January, keeping the year/year rate 

at 1.9%. 

MNI Chicago Report for March (index)                                 

 Friday, March 29 at 9:45 a.m. ET                       Actual:        

               Median         Range                  Mar19  Feb19  Jan19

 MNI Chicago     61.0     59.0 to 64.0                  --   64.7   56.7

     Comments: The MNI Chicago PMI is expected to pull back to a still 

brisk reading of 61.0 in March after a solid gain to 64.7 in February. 

Other regional data already released have been mixed, with the Empire 

State index down and the Philadelphia Fed index up. 

New Home Sales for February (annual rate)

 Friday, March 29 at 10:00 a.m. ET                       Actual:        

               Median         Range                 Feb19  Jan19  Dec18

 New Homes       616k     600k to 650k                 --   607k   652k 

     Comments: The pace of new home sales is expected to partially 

rebound to a 616,000 annual rate in February after pulling back in 

January. The pace of sales remains below their year ago level. 

University of Michigan Survey for March (final)          

 Friday, March 29 at 10:00 a.m. ET                       Actual:

                Median        Range                 Mar19f Mar19p  Feb19

 Consumer Sent    97.8    97.0 to 98.0                  --   97.8   93.8

     Comments: The Michigan Sentiment index is expected to be unrevised 

at a reading of 97.8 in March. This would keep the index well above the 

93.8 reading in February.

--MNI Washington Bureau; +1 (973) 494-2611; email: harrison.clarke@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MTABLE,M$U$$$]