Catalysts to Watch 03.03.10 $NZ

Catalysts to Watch

·         Central Banks - The ECB holds a meeting on Thurs and China’s National People’s Congress starts Mar 5.  There will also be meetings from the RBA and BOE. 

·         Health Care – Obama will make an announcement this week (on Wed) about the "way forward" on health care following the bipartisan meeting last week; new revised HC outline to be released

·         HMO exec meeting on Wed - top health-insurance executives are expected to appear before the Obama administration's top health official to discuss health-care premiums.  WSJ  

·         Greece - Greece’s PM will be traveling to Germany on Fri 3/5.  The WSJ reported that Germany and France were working on a EU20-30B bond sale deal w/Greece whereby state-backed German and French banks would take down half the issue w/the private markets taking the other half. 

·         BAC – the Treasury will be auctioning off its warrants in BoA today

Economics calendar – daily view

·         Wednesday, Mar. 3rd: US (MBA Mortgage Applications, Challenger Job Cuts, ADP Jobs release, Fed Beige Book); Eurozone (UK Nationwide Consumer Confidence, German PMI, Eurozone Retail Sales); Other (Australia GDP).

·         Thursday, Mar. 4th: US (ISM Non-Manufacturing, ADP Employment number); Eurozone (BoE and ECB meeting and interest rate decisions, Eurozone GDP); Other (n/a).

·         Friday, Mar. 5th: US (Monthly non-farm payrolls/unemployment rate, Consumer Credit); Eurozone (German Retail Sales); Other (n/a).

Corporate events calendar

·         Wed Mar 3: earnings before the open (Adidas, Standard Chartered, Taylor Wimpey, VRS, NNI, HSNI, NZ, JOYG, COST, PGR, URS, Adecco, RY, DIN).  Earnings out after the close (FL, FNSR, TTWO, CBEY, DIVX, PETM, SINA, SIGM, BELM).  Sales releases(WAG, HOTT).  Analyst meetings (NYX, SWY, MYGN, TAP, VRSN).  Mid-Q updates  (ALTR) 

·         Thurs Mar 4: earnings before the open (Aviva, BUD, WRN, WEN, TYPE, STP, TK, CIEN, TD).  Earnings after the close (MENT, MOVE, EVC, SLW, GA, ARST, ALSK, MRVL, COO).  Retail companies will report their Feb sales before the open.  Analyst meetings(A, PRGS, ENTG, BMY). 

·         Fri Mar 5: earnings before the open (AYR, BBGI).  Analyst meetings (GAS, THI).