Quick Overview

• The Institute of Supply Management's index of U.S. services dropped from 54.3 to 52.4 in March.
  

• Factory orders rose 1% in February following the biggest drop in six years, the Commerce Department said Wednesday
  
  

• An index of services in the U.K. increased from 57.4 to 57.6 in February, a sign of continued expansion.
  

• Eurostat said that retail trade volume in the Euro area was up 1.2% YoY.
  

• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said that:
  Supplies of crude oil were up 4.3 million barrels last week at 332.7 million barrels.
  Supplies of gasoline were down 5.0 million barrels
  Supplies of heating oil were down 200,000 barrels.
  YoY gasoline demand was up 1.7% and distillate demand was down 1.9% YoY.
  

• GFMS Ltd. said world gold mine production was down 3% in 06, the lowest level in ten years.