Economic Data And Forecasts For The Weeks May 8 And May 15

Here are my forecasts for upcoming economic data.

Forecast

Prior Observation

Consensus

Week of May 8

May 9

NFIB Small Business Optimism Index - April

104.2

104.7

103.8

Wholesale Inventories - March

0.0%

0.2

0.2

May 10

Export Prices - April

0.1%

0.2

0.1

Import Prices

0.1

-0.2

0.1

May 11

Initial Unemployment Claims

250K

238

244

Producer Price Index - April

0.2%

-0.1

0.2

PPI less food, energy and trade services

0.2

0.1

0.2

May 12

Consumer Price Index - April

0.3%

-0.3

0.2

Core CPI

0.2

-0.1

0.2

Retail Sales - April

0.6%

-0.2

0.6

Retail Sales, ex Autos

0.5

0

0.5

Business Inventories - March

0.2%

0.3

0.1

Michigan Consumer Sentiment - May (p)

98.0

97.0

97.3

Week of May 15

May 15

NY Fed Manufacturing Index

9.0

5.2

NAHB Index - May

68

68

May 16

Housing Starts - April

1.260M

1.215

Building Permits

1.280

1.260

Industrial Production - April

0.3%

0.5

Capacity Utilization

76.3

76.1

May 18

Initial Unemployment Claims

Philadelphia Fed Survey

22

22

Leading Indicators

0.3%

0.4