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.    

Weekly Jobless Claims for May 18 week                                

 Thursday, May 23 at 8:30 a.m. ET                         Actual:       

               Median         Range                  May18  May11  May04

 Weekly Claims  215k      210k to 217k                  --   212k   228k

     Comments: The level of initial jobless claims is expected to rise by 

3,000 to 215,000 in the May 18 survey week after falling by 16,000 to 

212,000 in the previous week. Claims were at a decades-low level of 

193,000 in the April 13 survey week, so the comparison will be 

unfavorable. The four-week moving average would fall by 3,750 this week 

as the 230,000 level in the April 20 week rolls out of the calculation. 

New Home Sales for April (annual rate)

 Thursday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. ET                       Actual:        

               Median         Range                  Apr19  Mar19  Feb19

 New Homes      670k      625k to 692k                  --   692k   662k 

     Comments: The pace of new home sales is forecast to slow to 670,000 

in April after solid increases in the previous three months that lifted 

the current month above its year-ago level. 

Durable Goods Orders for April (percent change)

 Friday, May 24 at 8:30 a.m. ET                          Actual:        

               Median         Range                  Apr19  Mar19  Feb19 

 New Orders     -2.0%   -10.0% to +0.1%                 --  +2.8%  -2.6% 

 Ex-Transport   +0.2%    -0.4% to +0.7%                 --  +0.2%  -0.3%

     Comments: Durable goods orders are expected to fall by 2.0% in 

April after a revised 2.8% gain in March. Boeing orders fell sharply to 

just 4 in April from 44 in March. Durable goods orders are expected to 

rise by 0.2% outside of the transportation component.

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

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