review the upcoming economic events that you should be monitoring during the week. The

main focus this week will be on Chinese data along with hopes for additional stimulus from

the Peoples Bank of China. As oil prices drop to record lows and global production continues

to increase Tuesday and Wednesday’s report will become crucial.

This coming week will be a bit anti climatic after the Bank of England “Super Thursday”

and the US nonfarm payroll report. Both turned into nonevents. Also last week we saw the

wind down of earning season. Earnings are relatively thin on the ground, although there

is a steady stream of first-half reports from UK firms. US earnings season has, by and large,

failed to inspire, and with indices looking unsteady as this week draws to a close it

seems that we will be witnessing more debate over the path of monetary policy as the key

focus for the rest of the quiet August season. Over the weekend China will spark the markets

a bit after a disappointing trade report with exports tumbling. Traders are figuring that

the PBOC will step in to add stimulus. Chinese inflation data is released on Sunday while

key monthly activity data is issued on Wednesday. Also over the week, money and lending figures

will be released in China. Tuesday will spark some interest in crude

oil with OPECs Monthly oil market report, which will include production figures from

Saudi Arabia and Iran. Later in the day the U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes

its Short-Term Energy Outlook with forecasts for oil, natural gas, power prices and supply.

There is also a smattering of economics data including German ZEW figures.

Wednesday will start off with Chinese industrial production followed by UK unemployment data.

The unemployment rate expected to hold at 5.6%, while the claimant count rises by 2500

in July, as average earnings rise 2.8% in June, in line with last month.

Thursday will be quiet until the US session with weekly jobless claims and US retail sales

which could spark some market volatility. Moving to the end of the week traders will

get a look at individual and overall Eurozone GDP data. This will be followed by Eurozone

inflation data. Price growth is forecast to be 0.2% YoY, with core prices up 1% YoY. GDP

is expected to grow 0.4% QoQ and 1.3% YoY. In the US session University of Michigan consumer

confidence data is expected to close out the week. The first read for August is expected

at 91.88 down from July’s final reading at 93.1.