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The main Wall Street indexes ended the last week with increases with blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average conquering the threshold of 26,000 points for the first time since early November, marking its ninth consecutive weekly growth. This is its longest winning series since May 1995.

Other main indexes also extended their gains. Nasdaq recorded its ninth consecutive weekly growth, which is his longest winning series since May 2009.

The new week started with positive news on the trade front after Donald Trump extended the trade truce with China after making substantial progress in trade talks on important structural issues including intellectual property protection, technology transfer, agriculture, services, currency, and many other issues. Thus, The US President is delaying the increase in tariffs now scheduled for March 1.

The week starts with new trade talks and several important economic data. Among the key figures expected in the last week of February are the report on UK inflation, US building permits, consumer confidence, employment and GDP in the US, business activity in the Chinese industry, employment data in Germany, and the index procurement managers in the industry, and others.

Upcomming economics figures

On Monday, February 25, will be released the January inflation figures in Singapore with a consensus forecast for the market is a slight acceleration of 0.5% to 0.6%. In Switzerland, the local authorities will publish employment data in the fourth quarter.

On Tuesday, February 26, the day will begin with GfK data on consumer confidence in Germany for March. Later markets will focus on the latest UK inflation report. There will be a number of important macro data in the US, including building permits in December, new homes, housing price index, consumer confidence in February.

On Wednesday, February 27, in the Eurozone will be published the data on business climate and consumer confidence in February. In the United States, will be released the employment data for February, factory orders and crude oil stocks.

On Thursday, February 28, Japan will report retail sales in January.

In New Zealand, there will be data on business confidence, and in Australia for sales of new homes.

On Thursday, February 28, the investors will focus on Japanese retail sales for January. In New Zealand, there will be data on business confidence, and in Australia for sales of new homes. The market’s focus will turn to Chine, where will be published the Purchasing Managers’ Index in the industry sector with expectations for a level of 49.5 points. In Switzerland, will be published the GDP data for the fourth quarter with consensus forecasts for accelerating the growth rate to 2.9% YoY and up to 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Preliminary data on inflation in February will be available for Spain, Italy, and Germany.

On Friday, March 1, Japanese authorities will release the data on the industry orders index for February, unemployment in January, and others were on the move. In China, the Caixin Industrial Purchasing Managers’ Index is expected to report an increase in February to 48.5 points, compared with 48.3 points in January. The data on PMI in the industrial sector also will be released for Russia, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, the Eurozone, and the United States. Later, the market’s focus will turn to the preliminary data on Eurozone inflation in February, as well as unemployment figures in January. Canada will release the GDP data in the fourth quarter.

Upcomming corporate earnings reports

On Monday, February 25, will be published the finance reports of shipowner Diana Containerships, apparel company Carter’s Inc, and engineering firm McDermott International.

On Tuesday, February 26, the markets will focus on financial reports of German chemical giant BASF SE, the Canadian Bank of Montreal, the engineering company KBR Inc and mass media firm Thomson Reuters Corporation. However, the key event during the day will be earnings statements of retailer Home Depot and department store company Macy’s Inc. During the day will be released the report of independent bottler Coca-Cola Consolidated.

On Wednesday, February 27, the consumer electronics retailer Best Buy Co and home improvement retailer Lowe’s will report their financial statement. During the day will be posted the earnings statement of German pharmaceutical giant Bayer, as well as the Belgium chemical company Solvay and the logistics company Kuehne & Nagel International. The key event during the day will be the finance report of HP Inc.

On Thursday, February 28, the investors will wait for finance statement of the gas carrier BW LPG, the bulk carrier operator Frontline, the offshore service company Saipem. Key reports during the day will be those of J.C. Penney Company Inc, JD.com and Goldman Sachs. During the day earnings statements will publish also VMware, Rolls Royce Holdings and Autodesk Inc.

On Friday, March 1, the market’s focus will be to financial report of Tribune Media Company.