US Data: Highlights of MNI Survey of Economic Forecasts

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 21:06 GMT Apr 10/17:06 EST Apr 10

     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.         

Weekly Jobless Claims for April 6 week                                

 Thursday, April 11 at 8:30 a.m. ET                       Actual:       

               Median         Range                  Apr06  Mar30  Mar23

 Weekly Claims  210k      210k to 215k                  --   202k   212k

     Comments: The level of initial jobless claims is expected to 

rebound by 8,000 to 210,000 in the April 6 week after a decrease of 

10,000 in the previous week to a new 50-year low. The four-week moving 

average would fall by 3,500 this week as the 224,000 level in the March 

9 rolls out of the calculation. The average could reach the lowest level 

in decades, in contrast to other signs of a softer labor market. 

Producer Price Index for March (percent change)

 Thursday, April 11 at 8:30 a.m. ET                      Actual:        

                 Median         Range                Mar19  Feb19  Jan19

 Final Demand     +0.3%    +0.3% to +0.4%               --  +0.1%  -0.1% 

 Ex Food,Energy   +0.2%    +0.1% to +0.3%               --  +0.1%  +0.3%

     Comments: Final demand PPI is expected to rise by 0.3% in March 

after a 0.1% February increase. Energy prices are expected to rise 

further following a 1.8% February increase, while food prices are 

expected to rebound after a 0.3% decline, with flooding in the Midwest 

one factor. Excluding food and energy prices, PPI is forecast to rise 

0.2% after a 0.1% February gain. 

University of Michigan Survey for April (preliminary)          

 Friday, April 12 at 10:00 a.m. ET                       Actual:

                Median        Range                 Apr19p  Mar19  Feb19

 Consumer Sent   98.5     97.5 to 98.3                 --    98.4   93.8

     Comments: The Michigan Sentiment index is expected to tick down to 

a reading of 98.3 in early-April after rising sharply to 98.4 in March.

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

[TOPICS: MTABLE]