It’s a quiet week for economic data with the most anticipated news coming Friday when the U.S. Labour Department releases the consumer price index for February.
On Monday, Statistics Canada releases data on labour productivity, hourly compensation and unit labour costs for the fourth quarter of 2006.
On Wednesday, StatsCan reports on industrial capacity utilization rates for the fourth quarter, 2006.
South of the boder
On Tuesday, the U.S. Commerce Department releases retail sales figures for February.
Separately, Commerce issues business inventories data for January.
On Wednesday, Commerce releases import and export price data for February.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor reports on the producer price index for February.
On Friday, Labor releases the consumer price index for February. Economists forecast a year-over-year increase of 2.3%, compared with 2.1% inflation a month earlier.
Separately, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board reports on industrial production and capacity utilization for February.
Corporate earnings
Wall Street investment banks Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., and Bear Stearns Cos. Inc. release their first quarter results this week,
Among other firms scheduled to release results are:
- Dorel Industries Inc.;
- Cordero Energy Inc.;
- Kroger Co.;
- Baytex Energy Trust;
- Transat A.T. Inc.;
- Sobeys Inc.;
- Flint Energy Services Ltd.;
- Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust;
- Transcontinental Inc.;
- Biovail Corp.;
- Iamgold Corp.;
- TLC Vision Corp.; and
- Empire Co. Ltd.