Overview: Industrial production edged up 0.1% in March.  Retail sales rose 1.6% in March.  The U.S. trade deficit widened 7.4% to $39.7 billion in February.  Building permits rose 7.5% in March; housing starts were up 1.6%.  The consumer price index rose 0.1% in March; the core CPI was unchanged.  The monthly deficit for March was $65.4 billion. Business inventories were up 0.5% in February.  Initial jobless claims rose by 24,000 to a level of 484,000 for the week ended 4/10.

Industrial production edged up 0.1% in March. Expectations had been for a much larger increase.

Retail sales rose 1.6% in March.  Excluding autos, sales were up 0.6%.

The U.S. trade deficit widened 7.4%, or by $2.7 billion in February to $39.7 billion.  Exports rose 0.2% while imports were up 1.7%.  The politically sensitive trade deficit with China narrowed 9.8% to $16.5 billion.

Building permits surprised on the upside with a 7.5% increase to an annual pace of 685,000 units in March.

Housing starts also surprised on the upside in March, rising 1.6% to an annual pace of 626,000 units. 

The consumer price index inched up 0.1% in March; the core CPI was unchanged.

The U.S. Treasury recorded a deficit of $65.4 billion in March.

Business inventories rose 0.5% in February.

Despite expectations for a decline, initial jobless claims rose by 24,000 to 484,000 for the week ended April 10th.