What to Watch: Claims, Retail Sales, Fed Speak, Equity Earnings

Rates trading steady to mixed, Bonds weaker with busy day for data ahead and early close (floor 1300ET, Globex still 1700ET); markets closed Friday for Easter holiday.

• Data up at 0830ET:
  • Initial Jobless Claims (166k, 170k); Continuing Claims (1.523M, 1.500M)
    
  • Retail Sales Advance MoM (0.3%, 0.6%); Ex Auto MoM (0.2%, 1.0%)
    
  • Import Price Index MoM (1.40%, 2.30%); YoY (10.9%, 11.9%)
  • Export Price Index MoM (3.0%, 2.2%); YoY (16.6%, 16.2%)
  • Up at 1000ET Bizz Inv (1.1%, 1.3%), U. of Mich. Sentiment (59.4, 59.0).
    
• Scheduled Fed speakers:
  • NY Fed Williams Bbg interview at 0845ET followed by Cleveland Fed Mester and Philly Fed Harker (1550ET and 1800ET resp).
    
• Geopol risk: Russia will deploy nuclear arms to border if Sweden and Finland join NATO (Russia Security Council head Medvedev said).
• Meanwhile -- equity earning pick up in earnest before equity open:
  • PNC, USB , WFC, GS, MS, Citi and State Street