Though last week offered little to distract investors from accounting issues, this week will inundate them with economic reports. Most important for Europe will be the plethora of surveys that measure consumer and industrial psyches. These are especially important for the EMU where official data tends to lag more than it does in the United States, opening the door for timelier non-official data. Key data for the United States will allow international market players to gauge how the nation's economy is progressing and whether their U.S. exports will begin to grow - proving once again that this country is the world's engine of growth. These data will provide important input to the slew of central bank meetings set for the following week.

All eyes will be on Japan Wednesday for the release at last of the government's deflation package and Thursday for the Bank of Japan meeting. With the situation continually growing worse, action is clearly required to stabilize the economy so that needed structural reforms can take place.

Last Week's Highlights   •   Global Stock Market Indexes   •   Recap of Global Markets   •   Currencies   •  Indicator Scoreboard

The Bottom Line   •   Looking Ahead