Thursday preview: Bank of Engand, M&G in focus

Investors' focus on Thursday will be firmly on the Bank of England's interest rate decision.

Bank Rate is widely expected to be held at 5.25%, but following weaker-than-expected inflation data published the day before, policymakers are expected to parti

Against that backdrop, consultancy S&P will publish the results of its manufacturing and services purchasing managers' surveys for the month of March in the UK, euro area and U.S..

A raft of other economic reports are set for release in the States.

They include the Philly Fed's regional factory index for the month of March, together with readings for weekly jobless claims and existing home sales.

Central banks in Norway and Switzerland will also announce their latest rate decisions with rates expected to remain on hold at 4.50% and 1.75%, respectively.

On the corporate side of things, M&G is due to post its 2023 results.

Consensus is that the investment manager will post full-year revenues of £996m for a total adjusted operating profit of £750m, although Nasib Ahmed at UBS has penciled-in £770m.

Ahmed is also anticipating an update out of the firm's management on potential tailwinds from the outperformance of its wholesale EU asset management funds.

The analyst expects that M&G will roll over its cumulative organic capital generation target of £2.5bn to 2024-26, whereas consensus has penciled in an OCG target of £2.8bn.

Thursday 21 March

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

C&C Group (CDI)

INTERIMS

Regtech Open Project

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Beazley, Craneware, Fonix Mobile , Hargreaves Services, London Finance & Investment Group, NWF Group, Thorpe (F.W.), Tristel

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Abrdn Private Equity Opportunities Trust, British American Tobacco

FINALS

Aptitude Software Group , Aptitude Software Group , Aquis Exchange , Centamin (DI), Direct Line Insurance Group, Dowlais Group, Energean , Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd Com Shs (DI), Hostelworld Group , Ithaca Energy, Judges Scientific, M&G, National World , Next, Tribal Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Primorus Investments

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AIB Group (CDI), BlackRock World Mining Trust, Chemring Group, CLS Holdings, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Crest Nicholson Holdings, DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Bermuda Regd), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Jersey Reg), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Sing.Reg), Glanbia (CDI), Globaldata, HGCapital Trust, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, MTI Wireless Edge Ltd., Nichols, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Pearson, Schroders

EGMS

Dish TV India Limited GDR (Each Repr One Shr)

AGMS

Athelney Trust, Banco Santander S.A., Hyundai Motor Company GDR (Reg S), Jyske Bank A/S , Pressure Technologies, Pressure Technologies

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

Current Account (US) (12:30)

Existing Home Sales (US) (14:00)

IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)

IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)

IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)