Economic calendar: US retail sales data in the spotlight

• European indices set for slightly higher opening

• US retail sales data for January due at 1:30 pm GMT

• DOE report on watch after API hinted at massive oil inventory build

Futures markets point to a slightly higher opening for major stock markets indices from Europe today. This comes in spite of a rather downbeat trading during the Asian session that saw regional indices drop. USD remains strong, putting pressure on commodity prices, especially precious metals prices. Cryptocurrencies are trading mixed.

A key macro event of the day is release of US retail sales data for January. Higher than expected CPI reading yesterday showed that progress on bringing inflation down is slow, hinting that more tightening may be needed. Strong retail sales reading would give Fed more reasons to continue on a hawkish path. Apart from US retail sales print, investors will also tune in for speech from ECB President Lagarde at 2:00 pm GMT as well as official report on US oil inventories (3:30 pm GMT).

8:00 am GMT - Spain, CPI inflation for January (final). First release: 5.8% YoY

9:00 am GMT - Poland, CPI inflation for January. Expected: 17.6% YoY. Previous: 16.6% YoY

10:00 am GMT - Euro area, industrial production for December. Expected: -0.7% YoY. Previous: +2.0% YoY

1:15 pm GMT - Canada, housing starts for January. Expected: 242k. Previous: 248.6k

1:30 pm GMT - Canada, wholesale trade for December. Expected: -1.6% MoM. Previous: +0.5% MoM

1:30 pm GMT - US, New York Empire index for February. Expected: -17.8. Previous: -32.9

1:30 pm GMT - US, retail sales for January.

• Headline. Expected: +1.8% MoM. Previous: -1.1% MoM

• Ex-autos. Expected: +0.8% MoM. Previous: -1.1% MoM

2:15 pm GMT - US, industrial production for January. Expected: +0.5% MoM. Previous: -0.7% MoM

3:00 pm GMT - US, business inventories for December. Expected: +0.2% MoM. Previous: +0.4% MoM

3:30 pm GMT - DOE report on US oil inventories.

• Oil inventories. Expected: +1.0 mb (API: +10.51 mb)

• Gasoline inventories. Expected: +1.5 mb (API: +0.85 mb)

• Distillate inventories. Expected: +0.4 mb (API: +1.73 mb)

Central bankers' speeches

• 2:00 pm GMT - ECB President Lagarde