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According to the U.S. Commerce Department, in February factory orders declined by 0.1%, while expectations were for a small gain. This is the first dip in four months.

Overseas, Chinese stocks dipped for the second consecutive day on lingering concerns of monetary tightening intended to temper inflationary pressures.

According to Bloomberg, increased capital requirements for European banks, the lingering nuclear situation in Japan and speculation that the Chinese government may raise interest rates (intended to

According to the National Association of Realtors, its pending home sales index for February increased by 2.1%, hitting 90.8, the first gain in three months although well below the 98.9 level from

Final Q4 GDP was revised up 0.3% to 3.1%, but was in line with pre-report expectations. Consumer Sentiment dipped slightly in the last half of March to 67.5, slightly below expectations.

February Durable Goods Orders fell 0.9%, well below expectations of a 1.5% increase. The year-on-year change dipped 0.8% to a positive 6.2%.

The MBA Home Purchase Application Index rose 2.7% in the week ending March 18. The rise in mortgage applications split evenly between new purchases and refinancing.

ICSC-Goldman Store Sales reported flat retail sales activity for the week ending March 19. Retail sales for the week dipped 0.1% to lower the year-on-year gain to 3.0%.

The National Association of Realtors reported that February existing home sales fell to an annualized rate of 4.88 million units, well below expectations of 5.125 million units.

The G-7 coordinated central bank efforts and intervened in the currency markets in an attempt to quell the recent rapid appreciation in the yen.