Economic Calendar: March 8-12

Time (EST) Indicator (click for definition) Source (click for press release) Actual Forecast Previous (revised) Previous (original) Monday, March 8 9 a.m. Treasury refunding announcement Treasury Department The Treasury announces the size of its next quarterly refunding. Five- and 10-year notes and bonds will be sold next Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday, March 9 9 a.m. ICSC-UBS Weekly Chain Store Sales Snapshot for the week ended March 6 International Council of Shopping Centers and UBS -0.3% n.a. -0.2% -0.2% 9 a.m. Redbook Retail Average for the week ended March 6, vs. Feb. Redbook Research +5.1% n.a. +1.2% +1.2%* Wednesday, March 10 7 a.m. Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ended March 5 -- Refinancing Index Mortgage Bankers Association 889.1 n.a. 878.7 878.7 Purchase Index 428.6 n.a. 422.6 422.6 8:30 a.m. International trade for Jan. Commerce Department -$41.3B -$42.0B -$42.7B -$42.5B 11 a.m. Consumer Comfort Index for the week ended March 5 Money Magazine and ABC News -18 n.a. -16 -16 1:30 p.m. Treasury refunding Bureau of the Public Debt The Treasury announces the results of its five-year note auction, at which $16 billion of securities will be sold, with bids due at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 11 8:30 a.m. Initial Jobless Claims for the week ended March 6 Labor Department 341,000 343,000 347,000 345,000 Four-week average 345,750 n.a. 352,500 352,250 8:30 a.m. Import Price Index for Feb. Labor Department +0.4% n.a. +0.8% +0.7% Export Price Index +0.6% n.a. +0.6% +0.6% 8:30 a.m. Retail sales for Feb. Census Bureau +0.6% +0.6% +0.2% -0.3% Ex-autos unchgd. +0.5% +1.2% +0.9% 10 a.m. Greenspan speech Federal Reserve The Fed chairman speaks to Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives on education. 1:30 p.m. Treasury refunding Bureau of the Public Debt The Treasury announces the results of its 10-year note auction, at which $11 billion of securities will be sold, with bids due at 1 p.m. 2 p.m. Federal budget for Feb. FY '04 Treasury Department -$96.7 -$100.0B -$96.7B -$96.7B (Feb. FY '03) Friday, March 12 8:30 a.m. Business inventories for Jan. Census Bureau +0.1% +0.3% +0.3% +0.3% 8:30 a.m. Producer Price Index for Feb. Labor Department Date TBA n.a. -- n.a. Ex- food and energy Date TBA n.a. -- n.a. 9:45 a.m. Consumer Sentiment Index for March -- preliminary University of Michigan 94.1 95.0 94.4 94.4 10:30 a.m. Weekly Leading Index for the week ended March 6 Economic Cycle Research Institute +11.1% n.a. +10.5% +10.5% 12 p.m. Greenspan speech Federal Reserve The Fed chairman speaks at the Boston College Finance Conference, Chestnut Hill, Mass. on education.

P-Preliminary forecast
*Month through previous Saturday, vs. prior month
Expectations as reported by Reuters

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