Output in the French industrial sector is expected to have dipped 0.8% month-over-month in August after rising 1.2% in July. On an annualized basis, the decline is expected to be even more pronounced at 2.6% in August, down from July's 2.0% loss.

Meanwhile, French manufacturing production in August is expected to fall by 0.9%, a decline from the prior 1.5% figure. On a year-over-year basis, it is forecast to fall 3.1%, a further drop from last month's 2.3% decline.

The National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) will publish its estimates on Italian industrial output. The consensus forecast is calling for output in the country to have rebounded 0.6% in August following the previous period's 1.1% fall. On a yearly basis, Italian industrial output is forecast to have fallen 6.2% on a non-seasonally adjusted basis in August and to have lost 4.0% in weighted daily average terms.

Throughout the day, we will be hearing from members of the European Central Bank and European Union as they all weigh in at the G7 conference. Markets will be paying close attention to speeches from ECB President Jean- Claude Trichet, ECB Executive Board member Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi, EU Commissioner Joaquin Almunia and Luxembourg Finance Minister Jean-Claude Juncker.

All times in EDT

2:45 FR Industrial Production (M/M) August Exp: -0.8% Prior: +1.2%

2:45 FR Industrial Production (Y/Y) August Exp: -2.6% Prior: -2.0%

2:45 FR Manufacturing Production (M/M) August Exp: -0.9% Prior: +1.5%

2:45 FR Manufacturing Production (Y/Y) August Exp: -3.1% Prior: -2.3%

4:00 IT Industrial Production (M/M) (SA) August Exp: +0.6% Prior: -1.1%

4:00 IT Industrial Production (Y/Y) (WDA) August Exp: -4.0% Prior: -3.2%

4:00 IT Industrial Production (Y/Y) (NSA) August Exp: -6.2% Prior: -0.6%

9:30 EU ECB's Bini-Smaghi Speaking at G-7 Conference in Washington

15:15 EU ECB's Bini-Smaghi Speaking at G-7 Conference in Washington

19:00 EU ECB's Trichet Speaking at G-7 Conference in Washington

19:00 EU Almunia Speaking at G-7 Conference in Washington

19:00 EU Juncker Speaking at G-7 Conference in Washington

By Steve Stecyk, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , edited by Nancy Girgis, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

CEP Newswires - CEP News © 2008. All Rights Reserved. www.economicnews.ca

The Copying, Broadcast, Republication or Redistribution of CEP News Content is Expressly Prohibited Without the Prior Written Consent of CEP News.

A copy of CEP News disclaimer can be found at http://www.economicnews.ca/cepnews/wire/disclaimer.