Quick Overview

• Former U.S. central bank chief Alan Greenspan said Wednesday that global economic imbalances might improve if some high-growth economies allowed their currencies to strengthen
  

• Japan's current account surplus grew 6.2 percent in February on year to 2.209 trillion yen before seasonal adjustment, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday.
  The Bank of Japan decided to keep its interest rate near zero.
  

• YoY Retail sales in the U.K. were down 1.4% in March.
  

• The National Association of Realtors said that they expect new home sales to total 1.14 million units, down 10.9% YoY.
  

• Europe's cocoa grind totaled 308,775 tons in the first quarter of 2006, up 9.2% YoY.
  
  

• The International Coffee Organization reduced its estimate of world coffee production from 121 to 120 million bags for 2006-2007.