US Data: Highlights of MNI Survey of Economic Forecasts

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 21:06 GMT Jul 16/17:06 EST Jul 16

     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 June (annual rate, million)                          

 Wednesday, July 17 at 8:30 a.m. ET                        Actual:      

           Median            Range                   Jun19  May19  Apr19

 Starts    1.260m      1.230m to 1.290m                 -- 1.269m 1.281m

     Comments: The pace of housing starts is expected to decline further

to a 1.260 million pace in June after falling to 1.269 million in May,  

while building permits are expected to rise very slightly to a 1.300    

million pace from the 1.299 million revised May rate. Unadjusted starts 

were down 4.0% from a year earlier in May.                              

Weekly Jobless Claims for July 13 week                                  

 Thursday, July 18 at 8:30 a.m. ET                       Actual:        

               Median         Range                  Jul13  Jul06  Jun29

 Weekly Claims   216k     210k to 220k                  --   209k   221k

     Comments: The level of initial jobless claims is expected to       

rebound by 7,000 to 216,000 in the July 13 employment survey week after 

a decrease to 209,000 in the previous week. The four-week moving average

would decline very slightly this week as the 217,000 level in the June  

15 employment survey week rolls out of the calculation.                 

Philadelphia Federal Reserve Index for July (diffusion index)           

 Thursday, July 18 at 8:30 a.m. ET                       Actual:        

                 Median        Range                 Jul19  Jun19  May19

 Phila Fed          5.0     0.0 to 7.0                  --    0.3   16.6

     Comments: The Philadelphia Fed index is expected to rebound to a   

reading of 5.0 in July after plunging to 0.3 in June.                   

Leading Indicators for June (percent change)                            

 Thursday, July 18 at 10:00 a.m. ET                       Actual:       

                 Median         Range                Jun18  May18  Apr18

 Leading Index    +0.1%     Flat to +0.1%               --   Flat  +0.1%

     Comments: The leading index is expected to rise by only 0.1% in    

June, with positive contributions from stronger stock prices and a      

slightly longer factory workweek and negative factors from a sharp drop 

in consumer expectations and higher jobless claims.                     

University of Michigan Survey for July (preliminary)                    

 Friday, July 19 at 10:00 a.m. ET                         Actual:       

                Median        Range                  Jul19p  Jun19 May19

 Consumer Sent    98.7    98.0 to 99.7                   --   98.2      

100.0                                                                   

     Comments: The Michigan Sentiment index is expected to rise to a    

reading of 98.7 in early-July from 98.2 in June.                        

--MNI Washington Bureau; tel: +1 202-371-2121; email: kevin.kastner@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MTABLE]