The Trading Week: Feb. 15 − Feb. 20

In preparation for the new trading week, here is a quick look at the most important economic events that every currency trader should pay attention to.Sunday, Feb. 15 will start the trading session with New Zealand’s PPI- Producers Price Index, the main measure of inflation experienced by manufacturers, at 4:45 pm, ET.The first spotlight event of the week- the preliminary estimate of the Japanese GDP- Gross Domestic Product, the main measure of economic activity and growth, will be released at 6:50 pm, ET.Another important economic report will be the U.K. Rightmove House Price Index, used as an indicator of price changes and inflation in the housing sector, at 7:00 pm, ET, followed by the Japanese Industrial Production, at 11:30 pm, ET. Monday, Feb. 16 will see the U.S. markets closed in observance of President’s Day. News from Canada will bring the Canadian Foreign Securities Purchases, a measure of foreign investments in Canada, at 8:30 am, ET, along with the Canadian Factory Shipments, also at 8:30 am, ET. The day will conclude with two important economic reports beginning with the Japanese Tertiary Index of activity in the services industries: utilities, transport and telecommunications, wholesale and retail, finance and insurance, and real estate, at 6:50 pm, ET. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s Meeting Minutes from the last monetary policy meeting that may provide some clues about the bank’s future monetary policy, will wrap up the day at 7:30 pm, ET.Tuesday, Feb. 17 will start with the Swiss Retail Sales, the main measure of consumer spending, at 3:15 am, ET. One of the main spotlight events of the week- the U.K. CPI- Consumer Price Index, the main measure of inflation used by the Bank of England, will be released at 4:30 am, ET, along with the U.K. RPI- Retail Price Index of the rate of inflation experienced by consumers when purchasing goods and services, also at 4:30 am, ET.More European news will bring a spotlight event- the German and the Euro-zone ZEW Institute Economic Sentiment, a survey of the sentiment and outlook of institutional investors and financial experts on the economy, at 5:00 am, ET, along with the Euro-zone Trade Balance of the difference in value between imported and exported goods and services, also at 5:00 am, ET. The U.S. economic data will deliver a sequence of important economic releases, beginning with the Empire State Manufacturing Survey of manufacturing conditions in New York State, at 8:30 am, ET, and the TIC- Treasury International Capital, the Treasury data tracking the flows of financial instruments into and out of the United States, at 9:00 am, ET.The U.S. economic reports will continue with the State Street Investor Confidence Index, measuring investors’ confidence by looking at actual levels of risk in investment portfolios, at 10:00 am, ET, and the U.S. National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index of housing market conditions, at 1:00 pm, ET. Important economic reports from “down under” will start with the Australian Westpac Melbourne Institute Leading Index of economic activity, at 6:30 pm, ET.The day will end with a spotlight event- the Australian Retail Sales, the main gauge of consumer spending, measuring the total receipts at stores that sell durable and non-durable goods, scheduled at 7:30 pm, ET. Wednesday, Feb. 18 will begin with a spotlight event- the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee Meeting Minutes that should provide clues about the bank’s position on interest rates and the future of the bank’s monetary policy, at 4:30 am, ET, followed by the Confederation of British Industry’s Industrial Trends Survey, at 6:00 am, ET. The U.S. economic releases will bring a spotlight event- the U.S. Housing Starts and Building Permits, measuring changes in the rate of home construction and a gauge of demand for new homes, at 8:30 am, ET, followed by the U.S. Industrial Production, measuring the physical output of factories, mines and utilities, at 9:15 am, ET.More U.S. data will bring an important release- the FOMC- Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Minutes from the last monetary policy meeting that may provide some clues about the future of the Fed’s monetary policy, due at 2:00 pm, ET. The day will end with the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Monthly Bulletin, a report on current economic environment and an outlook for inflation and future economic conditions, scheduled at 7:30 pm, ET. Thursday, Feb. 19 will start with a spotlight event- the Bank of Japan’s Interest Rate Announcement, expected around 12:00 am, ET, followed by the Swiss Trade Balance of the difference in value between imported and exported goods and services, at 2:15 am, ET.News from the U.K. will include the Public Sector Net Borrowing, a measure of credit debt and spending by public corporations, at 4:30 am, ET, and the U.K. Money Supply, also at 4:30 am, ET. The Swiss ZEW Institute Economic Expectations survey of the sentiment and outlook of institutional investors and financial experts on the economy will be released at 5:00 am, ET, followed by the Canadian Leading Indicators of economic activity, at 8:30 am, ET. A sequence of important U.S. economic data will begin with the U.S. PPI- Producers Price Index, the main measure of inflation experienced by manufacturers and a leading indicator of consumer inflation, at 8:30 am, ET, and the usual for every Thursday weekly Jobless Claims, also at 8:30 am, ET.More U.S. reports will include the Philly Fed Manufacturing Survey of manufacturing conditions within the Philadelphia Federal Reserve district, at 10:00 am, ET, the U.S. Leading Indicators of economic activity, also at 10:00 am, ET, the EIA- Energy Information Administration Weekly Natural Gas Inventories, at 10:30 am, ET, and the EIA- Energy Information Administration Weekly Oil Inventories, at 11:00 am, ET. The day will end with the Japanese All Industries Activity Index of activity in the services industry combined with activity in the construction, agricultural, industrial and public sectors of the economy, scheduled at 6:50 pm, ET.Friday, Feb. 20 will begin with the Bank of Japan’s Monthly Report on inflation and economic growth expectations, at 12:00 am, ET, and the German PPI-Producers Price Index, the main measure of inflation experienced by manufacturers in the Euro-zone’s largest economy, at 2:00 am, ET.News from the Euro-zone will bring the German and the Euro-zone Manufacturing and Services PMI- Purchasing Manager's Indexes, measuring the level of activity of purchasing managers in the manufacturing and service sectors, due at 3:30 am, ET and 4:00 am, ET. A sequence of spotlight events will begin with the U.K. Retail Sales, the main gauge of consumer spending, at 4:30 am, ET. Another spotlight event- the Canadian CPI- Consumer Price Index, the main measure of inflation, will be released at 7:00 am, ET. The trading week will end with one of its main spotlight events- the U.S. CPI- Consumer Price Index, the main measure of inflation in the world’s largest economy, scheduled at 8:30 am, ET.
Resource: http://www.fxstreet.com/fundamental/market-view/the-trading-week/2009-02-13.html