EZB: unveraenderte leitzinsen, puh noch mal davongekommen

                   FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Die Europäische Zentralbank (EZB) hat
                   auf ihrer Sitzung am Donnerstag die Leitzinsen unverändert
                   belassen. Hauptrefinanzierungsgeschäfte werden demnach
                   weiterhin als Mengentender mit einem Festzins von 3,50%
                   ausgeschrieben, teilte die EZB in Frankfurt mit.

                   Auch der Satz für die Einlagenfaziliät sei weiterhin bei 2,50%
                   belassen worden und der für die Spitzenrefinazierungsfazilität bei
                   4,50%./fs

Business Economists: Pressures Rising

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Strong demand stemming from robust expansion at home and abroad is
creating growing U.S. inflationary pressures as companies boost prices, the National Association for
Business Economics said Thursday. 'We have seen a distinct upward shift in pricing momentum in
recent months, particularly in the ability of firms to realize planned price increases,' said Diane Swonk,
president of NABE and chief economist for Bank One in Chicago.


siehe auch Goldman Sachs mit aehnlicher einschaetzung

THE ADVANCE in the Labor Department’s Producer
                        Price Index, which measures inflation pressures before they
                        reach the consumer, was a worse showing on inflation than
                        the 0.5 percent rise many analysts were expecting.
                               The jolt came from a huge 5.8 percent gain in energy
                        prices, the sharpest rise since a 7.5 percent increase posted
                        in October 1990.
                               But outside the volatile energy and food categories, the
                        “core” rate of inflation at the wholesale level rose a tiny 0.1
                        percent, right on target with many analysts’ predictions,
                        suggesting that most other prices were well behaved.
                               Separately, U.S. retail sales gained 0.4% and were up
                        a big +1.4% excluding autos, much better growth than
                        expected.