Data Heavy Monday

By The Greek - Economy & Markets:

Visit the front pages of Wall Street Greek and Market Moving News to see our current coverage of economic reports and financial markets.

This week's data is heavy at the start and empty on the close, but due to a technical upgrade at "The Greek" this article previews only Monday's events. The remainder of the week's schedule should be added to our pages before Tuesday's open. We ask your patience as we deal with a necessary disruption to publishing.

Monday

Down your coffee early on Monday, as you will not have a moment to spare before the first economic release reaches the wire. At 8:30 a.m., the New York Federal Reserve publishes its Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The numbers from all three regional indicators (NY, Philly and Chicago) have been sad of late, and New York area participants relayed a General Business Conditions Index reading of negative 34.7 in February; that was 12 plus points lower than January's mark. Bloomberg's consensus of economists sees a result of -32.0 for March, and we see little reason to expect any better than that.

The Treasury International Capital Report is set for 9:00 a.m. release. Considering Wen Jiabao's statement from just last week, within which he expressed concern for China's investment in U.S. debt, this report will garner extra attention on Monday. December's report showed a net inflow of $34.8 billion. We sure could use sustained demand for U.S. investment now more than ever.

At 9:15, look for Industrial Production to have declined by another 1.2% in February, according to the economists' consensus. This latest loss comes after the 1.8% dip in January. Considering the pace of layoffs through the month, it would be premature to expect a directional change in production any time soon. Likewise, Capacity Utilization is expected to have deteriorated to 71.1%, down from 72%.

The National Association of Home Builders publishes its Housing Market Index for March at 1:00 p.m. Home builders were about as depressed as possible last month, when they reported this measure of builders' confidence at a lowly 9, versus 8 in January.

In an important regulatory change, the SEC will now require issuers of private placement securities to begin filing them electronically with the government watch dog. Also, the U.S. will begin requiring "country of origin," labels on all meats sold in the States.

There are several bits of overseas news to prepare for. In Brussels, the World Biofuels Markets conference will kick off, while in Constantinople, the World Water Forum begins. Mexican markets are closed on Monday.

American traders can look for earnings reports from the likes of 4Kids Entertainment (NYSE: KDE), American Apparel (AMEX: APP), Applied Energetics (Nasdaq: AERG), Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG), Ballantyne of Omaha (AMEX: BTN), BioLase Technology (Nasdaq: BLTI), BMP Sunstone (Nasdaq: BJGP), Care Investment Trust (NYSE: CRE), Carmike Cinemas (Nasdaq: CKEC), Cell Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CTIC), Century Casinos (Nasdaq: CNTY), China Information Securiy (Nasdaq: CPBY), China Nepstar Chain Drugstore (NYSE: NPD), ChinaCast Education (Nasdaq: CAST), Connecticutt Water (Nasdaq: CTWS), Cumulus Media (Nasdaq: CMLS), Dana Holding (NYSE: DAN), DayStar Technologies (Nasdaq: DSTI), DeerField Capital (AMEX: DFR), eDiets.com (Nasdaq: DIET), Education Reality Trust (NYSE: EDR), Emeritus (NYSE: ESC), ENGlobal (NYSE: ENG), Facet Biotech (Nasdaq: FACT), Flanders (NYSE: FLDR), Flotek (NYSE: FTK), Force Protection (Nasdaq: FRPT), Fortress Investment Group (NYSE: FIG), FX Energy (Nasdaq: FXEN), Gray Television (NYSE: GTN), GSE Systems (AMEX: GVP), Heska (Nasdaq: HSKA), Hollywood Media (Nasdaq: HOLL), Houston Wire and Cable (Nasdaq: HWCC), IDT Corp. (NYSE: IDT), Independence Holdings (NYSE: IHC), Jamba Juice (Nasdaq: JMBA), KapStone Paper (Nasdaq: KPPC), Kohlberg Capital (Nasdaq: KCAP), Landry's Restaurant (NYSE: LNY), Medivation (Nasdaq: MDVN), Molecular Insight (Nasdaq: MIPI), National Dentex (Nasdaq: NADX), Newcastle Investment (NYSE: NCT), Optical Cable (Nasdaq: OCCF), ORBCOMM (Nasdaq: ORBC), Orchid Cellmark (Nasdaq: ORCH), Parkervision (Nasdaq: PRKR), Patriot Capital (Nasdaq: PCAP), Plug Power (Nasdaq: PLUG), Poniard Pharma (Nasdaq: PARD), Procera Networks (AMEX: PKT), Providence Service (Nasdaq: PRSC), RadNet (Nasdaq: RDNT), Repros Therapeutics (Nasdaq: RPRX), Rockwell Medical (Nasdaq: RMTI), Sauer-Danfoss (NYSE: SHS), SINA Corp. (Nasdaq: SINA), SkillSoft (Nasdaq: SKIL), Sonic Automotive (NYSE: SAH), STAAR Surgical (Nasdaq: STAA), Star Bulk Carriers (Nasdaq: SBLK), Sterling Construction (Nasdaq: STRL), Synergetics USA (Nasdaq: SURG), The PMI Group (NYSE: PMI), TIX Corp. (Nasdaq: TIXC), Top Image (Nasdaq: TISA), Toreador Resources (Nasdaq: TRGL), U.S. Home Systems (Nasdaq: USHS) and Warwick Valley Telephone (Nasdaq: WWVY).



Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. (Article interests: AMEX: DIA, AMEX: SPY, Nasdaq: QQQQ, NYSE: NYX, AMEX: DOG, AMEX: SDS, AMEX: QLD, AMEX: XLF, AMEX: IWM, AMEX: TWM, AMEX: IWD, AMEX: SDK).