Friday preview: U.S. nonfarm payrolls in focus

All eyes at the end of the week would be firmly on what many market participants considered to be the 'all-important' US non-farm payrolls report.

At 1330 GMT, the US Department of Labor was expected to announce a 240,000 increase in payrolls, following the 311,000 gain reported for February.

"Friday's US payrolls report will be a pivotal one for stocks. The worst outcome would be rising wages and a weaker jobs number, something that might reverse the growing expectation of a Fed pause in May," said Axel Rudolph, senior market analyst at IG.

"Such a scenario would likely put stocks at risk of giving back their recent gains."

For his part, Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, was anticipating a slowdown in hiring to a 250,000 person pace in March.

However, come April, he believed investors should ready themselves for a drop to 150,000 followed by further slowing thereafter.

Markets in the US and Europe would be closed in observance of Easter on Friday, but Asian bourses would be open for trading.

Friday 7 April

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Safestore Holdings

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)