Friday preview: US jobs report, Coronavirus in the spotlight

The focus at the end of the week will be on the US non-farm payrolls report for February, coronavirus permitting.

Consensus is anticipating a slowdown in the pace of hiring from 225,000 in the month before to a still strong 175,000, although some economists anticipate that the favourable weather effects that boosted the January print will unwind, resulting in a lower figure.

Growth in average hourly earnings meanwhile is expected to have slowed from a year-on-year pace of 3.1% in the month before to 3.0% albeit alongside a one tenth of a percentage point dip in the rate of unemployment to 3.5%.

Geman factory order figures for January are also due out, at 0700 GMT.

In London meanwhile, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's Permanent Staff Placements and Salaries indices are scheduled for release at 0001 GMT.

Friday 06 March

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Daejan Holdings, NCC Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Honeywell International Inc., ICG Enterprise Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

General Electric Co (CDI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

FINALS

Global Ports Investments GDR (REG S), SIG

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Artemis VCT

EGMS

Bank Audi S.A.L. GDR (Repr 1'Com'Shr Lbp1650)(Reg S)

AGMS

Ecofin Global Utilities and Infrastructure Trust , PCF Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (08:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Baronsmead Second Venture Trust, Baronsmead Venture Trust, Renew Holdings