Guide to today’s important data and events

Today event risks are high across board. Focus is on US data.

Data released so far -

• UK - RICS House price index improved by 14% compared to previous 7%.

• Australia - Unemployment rate dropped by 0.1% to 6.3%. Employment increased by 15,600. Participation rate deteriorated to 64.6%, compared to previous 64.7%. Consumer inflation expectation is down to 3.2% from previous 4%.

• New Zealand - House price improved in February by 0.8%.

• Japan - Consumer confidence increased at a subdued pace to 40.

• Germany - Consumer price index came back in positive territory, growing 0.9% mom.

Upcoming -

• France - Consumer price index to be released at 7:45 GMT.

• Spain - Consumer price index to be released at 8:00 GMT.

• UK - Trade balance data to be published at 9:30 GMT. Dismal performance is expected to continue. BOE governor Mark Carney is scheduled to speak at 12:45 GMT. Important to watch what he says about deterioration in economic activity.

• Euro zone - Industrial production data to be released at 10:00 GMT. Improvement is expected after dismal performance in December.

• Germany - Bundesbank president Weidman to speak at 10:00 GMT. Vital to watch his view on today's inflation data as he remained against QE and a vocal critic of ECB actions.

• Greece - Industrial production and unemployment rates to be released at 10:00 GMT.

• India - Industrial data to be published around 12:00 GMT. It will be important to watch out if improving confidence is changing the economic hard facts.

• US - Loads of data to be published. Some low key data are import and export price index to be released at 12:30 GMT and business inventories at 14:00 GMT. High impact data are Jobless claims to be released at 12:30 GMT along with Retail sales.

• New Zealand - Business PMI to be released at 21:30 GMT.

• Auctions - Spain to hold 10 year bond auction. US to hold 30 year note auction at 17:00 GMT. Vital to watch, what the yields investors are asking for in primary market.