QUICK OVERVIEW

• (Bloomberg) The London gold fix, the benchmark used by miners, jewelers and central banks to value the metal, may have been manipulated for a decade by the banks setting it, researchers say. 

• YoY Australia’s Gold production rose 18 metric tons to 273 tons in 2013, the highest annual output since 2003, Melbourne-based Surbiton said. 

• Lower Sugar output in Brazil and India, the second-biggest producer, may spur the first global deficit in five years, F.O. Licht said. 
• Macquarie estimates Sugar production costs in Asia Pacific, Australia and South Africa at 16 cents a pound or more; in Thailand and Central America at at least 18 cents a pound; in Brazil at 17-19 cents a pound; and in the European Union and India at 20-22 cents a pound.

• Eurozone inflation stable at 0.8% in February 

• Eurozone unemployment rate at 12 % in Jan. 
• Eurozone economy grew 0.3 % in Q4

• India's economic growth slows to 4.7% in Q4 
• India’s inflation in Jan. fell to 5% 
• The Indian state of Rajasthan has barred foreign direct investment in supermarkets 
• India plans to withdraw from talks with Vodafone Group Plc to resolve a nearly $2 billion tax dispute. 
• Finnish handset major Nokia warned that its Chennai (India) factory may shut down unless a Rs 21,153 core tax issue is resolved.

• Italy's unemployment rate rose to 12.9% 
• Italy's economy grew by 0.1% in Q4 

• The preliminary reading of the U.S. consumer sentiment index in February held steady at 81.2 
• U.S. industrial production fell 0.3% in January the first decline since July 2013 due to severe weather. 
• Chicago PMI unexpectedly accelerates in February to 59.8 

• Japan's unemployment rate stands at 3.7% in January 
•  Japan's consumer prices rose 1.3 % in January   

• British construction output rose 1.3% in 2013 

• January inflation rose by 0.2 % in Spain 

• Australia's unemployment rate rose to 6.0 % in Jan.

• China's inflation rose 2.5 % in January 
•  China's January PPI fell 1.6% 

• Global soybean ending stocks rose to 73.01 mmt, up from 72.33 mmt in January and above trade expectations of 72.67 mmt 
• Global corn stocks fell to 157.30 mmt, down from 160.23 last month and trade expectations of 159.60 mmt 

• Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc added to his stake in financial giant Goldman Sachs.

•  Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) raised its Quarterly dividend 3.7% to $.84 per share, up from $.81 per share in 2013. This is the 42nd consecutive year Kimberly-Clark has raised its dividend and the 80th straight year the company has paid dividends.