Friday preview: U.S. non-farm payrolls, U.K. house prices in focus

Investors' attention at the end of the week will be squarely on the U.S. non-farm payrolls report for March.

The consensus forecast is for only a moderate slowdown in the pace of hiring, from the 275,000 persons recorded during the previous month to 200,000.

Growth in average hourly earnings on the other hand is seen picking up from the 0.1% month-on-month clip observed in February to 0.3% this time around.

On home shores, at 0600 BST Halifax will release its house price index for March.

S&P Global's UK construction sector Purchasing Managers' Index for that same month will follow at 0830 BST.

In the euro area meanwhile the spotlight will be on German factory orders figures due out at 0600 BST.

Euro area retail sales data for that same month are scheduled for release at 0900 BST.

Friday 05 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Molten Ventures VCT , Pennon Group, Sylvania Platinum Ltd (DI)

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, Regional REIT Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

Import Price Index (GER) (08:00)

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

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

AGMS

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (07:00)

PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

CRH 7% 'A' Cum Prf (CDI), Nexus Infrastructure , Rights & Issues Investment Trust , Titon Holdings