Trading And Investing Intelligence For The Week Of February 20, 2012

Sun, 02.19.12 2:25pm EST

US markets will be closed on Monday to celebrate George Washington’s birthday, but traders will still need to keep an eye on the news in Europe. European finance ministers will be meeting to approve the 135 billion euro bailout package for Greece after it passed budget cuts last week. The Eurogroup has stated that it is confident a decision will be reached.

Later in the week, Germany and the United Kingdom will be releasing their Gross Domestic Product numbers. Germany, widely regarded as the most solid fiscal house in Europe, has experienced 20-year lows in its unemployment. The UK is also on the cusp of a potential downgrade from the rating agencies after debt has ballooned in the country and the Bank of England stepped up its asset purchase program last week.

There is a slew of earnings reports from the consumer sector next week to key in on, including Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Home Depot, (HD), Macy’s (M), and Barnes & Noble (BKS).

Monday, February 20

US markets are closed for President’s Day holiday

Global Economics
05:00 JPY Leading Index
9:00 France to sell up to EU1.2b 350-day, EU1.2b 238-day, EU1.5b 168-day and EU4.2b 91-day bills

Tuesday, February 21

US Economics
08:30 Chicago Fed National Activity Index – consensus 0.22
11:00 Fed to sell $8b-$8.75b notes in 1 to 2-year range
11:30 U.S. to sell $33b 3-month, $31b 6-month bills
1:00 U.S. to sell $35b 2-year notes

Global Economics
00:30 AUD Reserve Bank Board February minutes
02:00 NZD Reserve Bank of NZ 2-year Inflation Expectations
07:00 CHF Trade Balance
09:30 GBP Public Sector Net Borrowing
13:30 CAD Retail Sales
15:00 EUR Euro-Zone Consumer Confidence
6:00 EFSF to sell up to EU2b 182-day bills

Earnings
Before: AMWD, ASTE, ATRC, BKS, BYD, FUN, CRIC, CCO, CBRL, CTGX, DAKT, DAN, DCIX, DTG, DORM, EMCI, EEFT, EXPD, EXH, FELE, GCAP, GPC, GEO, HL HD, HPT, IL, JAKK, M, MUX, MHS, MDT, MYL, NVE, ORB, PDC, RSH, ROC, SKS, SHOO, SWC, TNC, WAB, WMT, WLT, WFT, WLK
After: ARCS, BALT, BAS, BRCD, CAP, CHSI, CAKE, CHK, CQB, CYH, CUZ, DAC, TRAK, DELL, DX, WIRE, ENV, EXR, FNGN, FST, GNK, GTY, LOPE, HLF, IPHS, INTU, IPCM, ITC, KFT, LZB, LGCY, NBR, NFX, PZZA, MALL, POST, PSB, RRC, MKTG, GAME, SONS, FIRE, SSNC, SHO, TRGT, TXRH, USU, WINN, ZIXI

Wednesday, February 22

US Economics
07:00 MBA Mortgage Purchase Index
10:00 Existing Home Sales – consensus 4.65M
11:00 Fed to purchase $1.5b-$2b notes in 25 to 30-year range
11:30 U.S. to sell 4-week bills
1:00 U.S. to sell $35b 5-year notes

Global Economics
02:00 NZD Credit Card Spending
08:30 EUR German PMI
09:00 EUR Euro-Zone PMI
09:30 GBP Bank of England Minutes
10:00 EUR Euro-Zone Industrial Orders
5:30 Germany to sell EU5b 2-year notes

Earnings
Before: AER, GAS, ANAD, CHS, CWEI, CLH, CCOI, DM, DLTR, DCI, EV, EE, GRMN, GOV, WOLF, GTXI, ICON, IDA, LAMR, LAD, LL, MGM, PWR, RRD, SUSS, TX, MDCO, TJX, TOL, WIN, YNDX, ZLC
After: AEA, ANW, AEL, ARII, ADI, ANGI, AHT, AVGO, BLKB, SAM BBRG, BEAT, CBOU, CHRM, CLDT, CIM, KH, CLW, CNL, CXO, CLR, CSGP, UAN, DDS, DTSI, DRCO, ELGX, ESV, EQY, ESRX, FR, FLS, FLR, GSS, GDP, GVA, GLF, HNSN, HR, HEI, HLX, HTZ, HPQ, AWAY, HURN, IFSIA, JACK, KAI, KBR, LHO, LBTYA, LTD, LNET, LOOP, MNKD, MANT, MELI, NATL, NEWP, NVTL, NUVA, OAS, ONXX, ORA, PASS, PCTI, PVA, PPO, PRA, QEP, QIHU, QCOR, SKUL, SM, SMSI, SGY, RGR, SNPS, TWI, TYL, UNTD, VOLC, VNO, WLL, WMB, WPZ, AUY

Thursday, February 23

US Economics
08:30 Initial Jobless Claims – consensus 365K
08:30 Continuing Claims – consensus 3480K
10:00 House Price Index – consensus 0.0%
10:00 House Price Purchase Index – consensus 0.2%
11:00 Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Activity – consensus 9
11:00 Fed to sell $8b-$8.75b notes in 2 to 3-year range
1:00 U.S. to sell $29b 7-year notes

Global Economics
00:30 AUD Average Weekly Wages
09:00 EUR German IFO – Expectations, Business Climate

Earnings
Before: DDD, AEE, AMT, ANSS, AUXL, BRY, BBG, TAST, CKP, MY, CBR, CNK, CIR, CMS, CWH, COR, DANG, DNR, DISH, SATS, EME, EXAS, FSS, FAF, FWLT, GTI, GPOR, HRL, ICGE, IMAX, IART, IDCC, IVR, IRM, JRN, KBW, KSS, LXP, LINE, LKQX, LTXS, PCS, NM, NIHD, OCN, OMX, ZEUS, OCR, PKD, PDCO, PEI, PNCL, PXP, PEG, QLTI, RDN, RIMG, SWY, SHLD, SMBL, SUG, SRT, GASS, SUI, SURW, SFY, SXCI, SMA, SYNO, TRGP, NGLS, TGT, TASR, TFX, TDS, TS, THI, TTC, TSL, USM, WMAR, WWE, XIN
After: JOBS, ACTV, ALIM, AIG, AMSG, AGO, ADSK, AXTI, BIO, CBI, CEC, CENX, LNG, CPTS, CROX, CUBE, DECK, DXCM, DRC, BOOM, EDR, EXAM, XCO, FSLR, GPS, GERN, ROCK, GTE, HLS, HT, IAG, INAP, ISTA, JOEZ, KND, LYV, LAVA, MGA, MRVL, MDAS, MMSI, MHK, MOH, MCP, MCRI, NDSN, NTRI, OVTI, OFIX, PDLI, PSA, NX, RWT, RBCN, CRM, SD, PER, SBAC, SEM, SPN, TESO, TIVO, TPC, UEIC, UACL, WBMD, WR, GB, INT, WMGI

Friday, February 24

US Economics
09:55 University of Michigan Confidence Statement – consensus 73
10:00 New Home Sales – consensus 315K
11:00 Fed to purchase $1.5b-$2b notes in 25 to 30-year range

Global Economics
07:00 EUR German GDP
09:30 GBP GDP
5:00 Italy to sell I/L bonds, zero coupon notes

Earnings
Before: ANR, AMAG, BGCP, CYBX, EGO, ELT, ENDP, SSP, FCN, IBI, IPG, JCP, KDN, MHR, MINI, NEM, POM, PNW, POR, WTI, YRCW
After: AWK

Author: Wall And Broad Report