Friday preview: US inflation data, NatWest Group in focus

All eyes at the end of the week would be on the evolving inflation picture in the US which might put to rest any doubts regarding whether rate-setters would go ahead with another interest rate hike during the following week.

At 1330 BST, the Department of Commerce was to release personal consumption expenditure and income data for March.

But investors' focus would be on the inflation indicators contained in that same report; namely, the core PCE price deflator, which just happened to be the Fed's preferred inflation gauge.

Worth noting, in parallel, the Department of Labor would publish the employment cost index for the first quarter, which also held the potential to move financial markets.

Capping off Friday's data salvo at 1500 BST would be a final reading for the University of Michigan's consumer confidence index covering the month of April.

Here too, the main point of interest would be the gauges of inflation expectations derived from the same survey.

Overnight, the Bank of Japan would announce its latest monetary policy decision.

Across the Channel meanwhile, the market spotlight would be on a reading for first quarter gross domestic product growth in Germany.

On the corporate side of things, all eyes would be on NatWest Group as it published its first quarter results.

At the time of its full-year results, management was "cautious" on the outlook, CMC Markets UK chief market analyst Michael Hewson noted.

Full-year 2023 income was pegged to come in at £14.8bn and net interest margins were seen at 3.2%.

That was assuming a base rate of 4.0%.

"The current base rate is already above this at 4.25% and could well go higher next month to 4.5%, potentially pushing NIM higher," Hewson said.

"Impairments are expected to remain in line with previous forecasts."

Friday 28 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Beazley, Henderson EuroTrust, New Star Investment Trust, The European Smaller Companies Trust

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

BlackRock Sustainable American Income Trust, CT Private Equity Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Real Estate Investors, Value and Indexed Property Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)

Employment Cost Index (US) (13:30)

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

Personal Income (US) (13:30)

Personal Spending (US) (13:30)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Final) (US) (15:00)

Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

FINALS

Argo Blockchain, Fisher (James) & Sons, Morgan Advanced Materials , PureTech Health

ANNUAL REPORT

Epwin Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

BioPharma Credit , BioPharma Credit , Quartix Technologies, SLF Realisation Fund Limited C Shs NPV, SLF Realisation Fund Limited NPV

EGMS

ROS Agro GDR REG S

AGMS

Audioboom Group, BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. NPV (DI), Bellevue Healthcare Trust (Red), Everest Global, Getbusy, Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Greencoat UK Wind, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Kingspan Group (CDI), Minoan Group, Pearson, Rotork, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI), Symphony International Holdings Ltd., Woodside Energy Group Ltd NPV (DI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Computacenter, Industrials Reit Limited, Rotork, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Anglo American, Globaldata, Kitwave Group, Quartix Technologies, Wynnstay Group

Q1

NATWEST GROUP, OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S)