Catalysts to Watch

         Most major equities markets will remain closed Mon (the US is one of the few ones open).  The week of Mon Apr 5 will be pretty quiet for the most part.  On the economics front, the ISM Non-Manufacturing, March Retail Same Store Sales and Consumer Credit will be released in the US. A few Eurozone datapoints will hits inc. GDP, PMI and Retail Sales.  It will actually be a pretty busy week for central banks (From Central Banks, the BoE, ECB, RBA and BoJ will all hold meetings and the FOMC will release minutes from its most recent meeting on Tuesday).  There really aren't any big earnings to speak of (MON and BBBY on Wed are ones to watch) as investors await the kick-off to the official Q1 reporting period on Mon Apr 12 (w/AA).  Retailers will be reporting their Mar sales Wed night/Thurs morning.  There will be a bunch of Treasury auctions to watch: 10yr TIPS Mon Apr 5 ($8B), 3yrs Tues Apr 6 ($40B), 10s Wed Apr 7 ($21B), and 30s on Thurs Apr 8 ($13B).  Obama plans to meet with a dozen European leaders this week in Prague, where he will sign a nuclear arms treaty with Russia. 

Economics Calendar – daily view – week of Mon Apr 5

         Monday, Apr. 5th: US (US Pending Home Sales, ISM Non-Manufacturing) 

         Tuesday, Apr. 6th: US (FOMC Meeting Minutes, ABC Consumer Confidence); Eurozone (Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence, UK Nationwide Consumer Confidence); Other (Reserve Bank of Australia Interest Rate Decision, Japan Japan Leading Index, Switzerland CPI).

         Wednesday, Apr. 7th: US (FOMC Meeting Minutes, ABC Consumer Confidence); Eurozone (German PMI, Eurozone PMI, Eurozone GDP); Other (BoJ Interest Rate Decision, Swiss Retail Sales, Canada Building Permits).

         Thursday, Apr. 8th: US (MBA Mortgage Applications, Consumer Credit); Eurozone (UK March NIESR GDP, UK IP, Eurozone Retail Sales, German IP, BoE Meeting & Interest Rate Decision, ECB Meeting & Interest Rate Decision); Other (Japan Eco Watchers Survey, Australia Unemployment Rate, BoJ Monthly Report, Swiss Unemployment Rate).

         Friday, Apr. 9th: US (Wholesale Inventories); Eurozone (German Trade Balance, UK PPI); Other (Canada Unemployment Rate).

Corporate Events Calendar
– Week of Mon Apr 5

         Mon Apr 5: sales releases (WAG). 

         Tues Apr 6: earnings updates (Samsung to give a first look at Q1 earnings 4/6). 

         Wed Apr 7: earnings before the open (MON, GBX, FDO, MSM).  Earnings after the close (BBBY, WDFC, PBY, RT, SCHN, MG, LWSN, MDRX).  Sales releases (ZUMZ, HOTT).  Analyst meetings (EOG, NVDA). 

         Thurs Apr 8: earnings before the open (RPM, MXB, PIR).  sales releases (major US retailers will be posting their Mar sales throughout the morning on Thurs).  Business Updates (Marks & Spencer, Misys).  Analyst meetings (ACN). 

         Fri Apr 9: earnings before the open (SJR, STZ, BTH).