FINANCIAL NEWS SCHEDULE

Thursday 5/23/02


A. Today's News (ET & GMT release time shown)

Thu US   0830 ET  1230  Initial unemployment claims for week ending
                        May 18 expected 410,000 previous 418,000.
         0830 ET  1230  Apr durable goods orders expected +0.5%,
                        Mar -0.5%, less transportation expected
                        +1.0%, Mar -0.1%.
         0930 ET  1330  Dallas Fed president McTeer speaks on US
                        economy in Plano, Texas.
         1000 ET  1400  Chicago Fed President Moscow speaks at
                        Iron and Steel Institute meeting.
         n/a            Earnings expected today:  Barnes & Noble,
                        Ciena, Novell, Sun Microsystems, Williams-
                        Sonoma, among others.
    GER  0200 ET  0600  German Q1 GDP expected +0.1% q/q and -
                        0.3% y/y.
         n/a            German May CPI North Rhine-Westphalia,
                        Apr +0.1% m/m, +1.4% y/y.
                        German May CPI Hesse, Brandenburg (May
                        23-24)
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK Apr retail sales expected +0.4% m/m, Mar
                        +0.1%, +5.2% y/y, Mar +5.6%.
                        UK Apr car production, Mar
                        3-months/3-months +5.3%, 3-months/yr ago
                        +12.3%.
                        UK Q1 total business investment, Q4 -0.3%
                        q/q, previous -7.4% y/y.
                        UK CBI industrial trends survey.
                        UK initial unemployment claims, for week
                        ending May 18.
         1030 ET  1430  UK Apr coincident indicator index, Mar +0.1%
                        m/m.
                        UK Apr leading Indicator index, Mar +0.3%
                        m/m.
    JPN  1950 ET  2350  Japan Mar average lending rate, Feb 1.561%.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  French Apr consumer spending expected -
                        0.2% m/m Mar +1.2%, expected +2.9% y/y,
                        Mar +2.7%.

B. Future News:

Sometime this week:
    GER  n/a            German Mar industrial output, Feb +0.5%
                        m/m, -5.1% y/y.
         n/a            German Apr PPI, Mar +0.3 m/m, -0.2 y/y.
Fri US   0830 ET  1230  Q1 GDP expected to be revised to +6.0%
                        from last +5.8% q/q, GDP price deflator
                        expected unrevised at +0.8%.
                        Q1 corporate profits.
         1000 ET  1400  Apr new home sales expected +0.8% at
                        885,000, from Mar at 878,000.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK Q1 GDP expected +0.1% q/q, previous
                        unch, expected +1.0% y/y, previous +1.6%.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  French Q1 GDP expected +0.4% q/q and
                        +0.6% y/y.
         0250 ET  0650  French Apr CPI, Mar +0.5% m/m, +2.1% y/y. 
                        Apr CPI EU harmonized, Mar 0+.5% m/m,
                        Mar +2.2% y/y.
    JPN  0100 ET  0500  Japan BOJ releases minutes of Apr 10-11
                        meeting.
Week of May 27-31
Sometime this week:
    GER  n/a            German Mar construction orders, Feb +6.1%
                        y/y, -1.5% y/y.
                        German Apr import price index, Feb +0.8%
                        m/m, -2.5% y/y.
                        German Apr wholesale sales, SA -0.7% m/m,
                        NSA -7.4% y/y.
Sun JPN  1950 ET  2350  Japan Apr large retailer sales, Mar -1.5%.
Mon US                  Memorial Day US Markets closed.
    GER  0400 ET  0800  German May IFO ind. survey (business
                        climate), Apr 90.5.
                        German May IFO current assessment, Apr
                        76.9., IFO expectations, Apr 104.6.
Tue US   0830 ET  1230  Apr personal income expected +0.3%, Mar
                        +0.4%.
                        Apr spending expected +0.7%, Mar +0.4%.
         0900 ET  1300  Redbook weekly retailer sales.
         1000 ET  1400  May consumer confidence expected 110.0,
                        Apr 108.8.
                        Apr existing home sales expected -0.9% at
                        5,350,000, from Mar 5,400,000.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK BBA mortgage lending figures.
    JPN  1950 ET  2350  Japan Apr industrial production, Mar +0.8%
                        m/m.
Wed US   1300 ET  1700  Treasury sells $27 billion in 2-year T-notes for
                        $4.9 bln new cash.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  France May business confidence indicator,
                        Apr 97.0.
                        France Mar production outlook indicator, Apr -
                        16.0.
Thu US   0000 ET  0400  Chicago Fed releases national activity index
                        for Apr.
         0830 ET  1230  Initial unemployment claims for week ending
                        May 25th.
         n/n            Earnings expected today:  Costco Wholesale,
                        Dollar General, Neiman Marcus.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK Mar index of distribution.
                        UK Apr M4 money supply, m/m and y/y.
                        UK Apr Sterling lending.
                        UK Apr net consumer credit.
    JPN  1930 ET  2330  Japan Apr unemployment rate expected
                        5.3%, Mar 5.2%.
                        Japan Apr job to applicant ratio expected .51,
                        Mar .51.
                        Japan Apr household spending, Mar -1.2%
                        y/y.
                        Japan May Tokyo consumer prices SA, Apr
                        -0.2%, less food -0.4%.
                        Japan May Tokyo consumer prices , Apr
                        -1.3% y/y, less food -1.1% y/y.
                        Japan Apr national consumer prices SA, Mar
                        unch, less food unch.
                        Japan Apr national consumer prices, Mar
                        -1.2% y/y, less food, -0.7% y/y.
Fri US   0830 ET  1230  Q1 final unit labor costs expected -5.5%,
                        previous -5.4%.
                        Q1 final nonfarm productivity expected 8.7%,
                        previous +8.6%.
                        Late-May University of Michigan consumer
                        confidence expected 96.0, early-May +3.0 to
                        96.0.
         1000 ET  1400  May Chicago purchasing managers expected
                        55.0, Apr 54.7.
                        Apr factory orders expected +0.3%, Mar
                        +0.4%.
    JPN  0030 Et  0430  Japan Apr crude oil imports, Mar -6.4% y/y.
         0100 ET  0500  Japan Apr construction orders, Mar -12.9%
                        y/y.
                        Japan Apr housing starts, Mar -6.2% y/y.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  France Apr unemployment rate Mar 9.1%,
                        unemployment rate change, Mar 13,000.
         0250 ET  0650  France Apr PPI, Mar +0.7% m/m, -0.7% y/y.
Week of June 3-7
Sometime this week:
Sun JPN  1950 ET  2350  Japan Apr average lending rate.
    US   Jun 3-4        May domestic vehicle sales, Apr 14,000,000.
Mon US   1000 ET  1400  Apr construction spending, Mar -0.9%
                        May ISM manufacturing index, Apr 53.9.
                        Mar ISM prices paid, Apr 60.3.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK CIPS purchasing managers index.
Tue UK   0430 ET  0830  UK CIPS construction index.
    JPN  0100 ET  0500  Japan Apr leading economic index.
                        Japan Apr coincident index.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  French May consumer confidence indicator,
                        Apr -18.0.
Wed US   1000 ET  1400  May ISM non-manufacturing, Apr 55.3.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK May M0 money supply, Apr +0.9 m/m,
                        +8.0% y/y.
                        UK May official reserve (changes).
                        UK CIPS services index.
         0600 ET  1000  UK CBI quarterly distributive trades report.
         n/a            UK Bank of England monetary policy
                        committee meets.
                        UK BRC shop price index.
Thu US   0830 ET  1230  Initial unemployment claims for week ending
                        Jun 1.
         1525 ET  1925  San Francisco Fed pres. Parry speaks at
                        financial analysts meeting in Oregon.
    EUR  0745 ET  1145  ECB announces interest rates, current 3.25%.
    GER  0600 ET  1000  German Apr factory orders, Mar unch m/m, -
                        3.4% y/y.
    UK   0700 ET  1100  UK Bank of England announces rates, current
                        4.0%
    JPN  0030 ET  0430  Japan May consumer confidence.
         1950 ET  2350  Japan Q1 GDP preliminary, previous -1.2%.
Fri US   0830 ET  1230  May unemployment rate, Apr 6.0%.
                        May average hourly earnings, Apr +0.1%.
                        May change in non-farm payrolls, Apr 43,000.
                        May change in manufacturing payrolls, Apr
                        -19,000.
                        May average weekly hours, Apr 34.1.
         1000 ET  1400  Apr wholesale inventories, Mar unchanged.
         1500 ET  1900  Apr consumer credit, Mar $4.6 bln.
    GER  0355 ET  0755  German May unemployment change SA, Apr
                        6,000.
                        German May unemployment EU-Def, Apr
                        8.1%, unemployment rate SA 9.6%.
    JPN  0100 ET  0500  Japan Apr household spending, Mar -1.0%
                        y/y.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  French Apr central government balance
                        (Euros)
Week of June 10-14
Sometime this week:
    GER  n/a            German Apr retail sales SA, Mar +1.2% m/m,
                        -4.5% y/y.
                        German Mar CPI final, previous +0.1% m/m,
                        +1.6% y/y.
    JPN  n/a            Japan Apr current account total, Mar 2202.5
                        bln Yen, adjusted 1547.5 bln Yen.
Sun JPN  1950 ET  2350  Japan May bank lending, May -4.8% y/y
                        Japan May domestic wholesales price index,
                        Apr unch.
                        Japan May Money Supply M2+Cd, +3.6% y/y.
Mon UK   0430 ET  0830  UK May PPI input SA, Apr +0.9% m/m, -3.7%
                        y/y
                        UK May PPI output NSA, Apr +0.5% m/m,
                        +0.2% y/y.
         1430 ET  1830  UK BRC retail sales monitor.
    JPN  0100 ET  0500  Japan Apr machine orders, Mar -6.2% m/m.
Tue GER  0200 ET  0600  German Apr currant account, Mar 7.5 bln
                        (Euro).
                        German Apr trade balance, Mar 12.4 bln.
         0600 ET  1000  German Apr industrial output, m/m and y/y.
         0900 ET  1300  German Jun ZEW survey (economic
                        sentiment).
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK Apr visible trade balance, Mar -3004.
                        UK Apr trade balance non EU, Mar -2169.
                        UK Apr industrial production, +0.4% m/m, -
                        5.9% y/y.
                        UK Apr Manufacturing production, Mar -0.8%
                        m/m, -6.8%
Wed US   0830 ET  1230  May Imports all commodity price, Apr +1.2%.
         1400 ET  1800  Federal Reserve's beige book.
    UK   1901 ET  2301  UK Apr total housing starts NSA, Mar 18,900.
    FRA  0245 ET  0645  French May CPI, m/m and y/y.
                        French May CPI EU harmonized, m/m and
                        y/y.
Thu US   0830 ET  1230  Initial unemployment claims for week ending
                        Jun 8.
                        May PPI, Apr -0.2%, less food and energy
                        +0.1%.
                        May retail sales, Apr +1.2%, less autos
                        +1.0%.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK New construction orders.
    JPN  0030 ET  0430  Japan Apr industrial production final m/m.
                        Japan Apr capacity utilization final.
    FRA  0250 ET  0650  French Apr industrial production, m/m and y/y.
                        French Apr manufacturing production, m/m
                        and y/y.
Fri US   0830 ET  1230  Apr business inventories, Mar -0.3%.
         0915 ET  1315  May industrial production, Apr +0.4%.
                        May capacity utilization, Apr 75.5%.
         0950 ET  1350  University of Michigan confidence early Jun.
    UK   0430 ET  0830  UK May unemployment change, Apr 5,400.
                        UK May unemployment rate, Apr 3.2%.
                        UK Apr average earnings, Mar +2.9% 3-
                        months y/y.
                        UK Apr Manufacturing unit wage cost, Mar
                        +4.9% 3-m y/y.
                        UK Apr ILO unemployment rate, Mar +5.1%
                        3-months
Future News:

June 9 & 16: French Parliamentary elections. Upcoming Central Bank meetings: FOMC: June 25-26, Aug 13, Sep 24, Nov 6, Dec 10.

Last G7 monetary policy changes: US Funds rate last cut by 25 bp to 1.75% on 12/11/01, discount rate -25 bp to 1.25%. Funds rate cut by 175 bp after Sep 11th, and by an overall 475 bp in 2001 easing cycle. CAN Overnight rate target +25 bp to 2.25% on 4/16/02, up from 40-year low of 2.00%. Prior to 4/02 rate hike, BOC had cut by total of 3.75 bp since Jan 2000. UK Base rate cut by a total of 200 bp in 2001 cycle to current 4.0%. Last change -50 bp to 4.00% on 11/02/01. ECB Refinancing rate currently at 3.25%, last cut by 50 bp on 11/8/01. Overall ECB rate cut was 150 bp in 2001. JPN Discount rate at .10%, unsecured overnight call loan rate near zero. BOJ boosted monthly JGB purchases by 25% to 1 trillion yen at Feb 28 meeting.


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