Thursday preview: Bank of England, UK unemployment in focus

Financial markets' focus on Thursday will swing to the UK, where the Monetary Policy Committee will be meeting to decide on rates.

Consensus is that at noon the MPC will announce its 7-2 vote to keep Bank Rate at 4.50%.

"We don't expect the BoE's guidance to shift away from the gradual, careful and meeting by meeting approach it has laid out previously or signal an intent to speed up cuts," analysts at Bank of America said.

"The minutes are likely to emphasize that risks to inflation are two sided, even if the central view is that the broad disinflation process is likely to be on track. Data dependence bias is likely to intensify further amid high uncertainty."

Earlier, at 0700 BST, the Office for National Statistics is forecast to announce that the UK unemployment rate edged up by one tenth of a percentage point in January to reach 4.5%.

Also on the calendar, at 0830 the Swiss National Bank and Riksbank are due to announce their own policy decisions.

They will be followed at 1230 GMT by the latest weekly unemployment claims data in the US and the Philly Fed's regional factory index, as well as a reading for existing home sales at 1400 GMT.

Thursday 20 March

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Moonpig Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Abrdn UK Smaller Companies Growth Trust, Beazley, Craneware, Hargreaves Services, NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Limited Red Ord, NWF Group, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, Thorpe (F.W.), Tristel

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Patria Private Equity Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Confidence (EU) (15:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)

Current Account (US) (12:30)

Existing Home Sales (US) (14:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Central Asia Metals, Energean , Eurocell , Fisher (James) & Sons, Foresight Solar Fund Limited, Hostelworld Group , Robinson, Schroders Capital Global Innovation Trust

ANNUAL REPORT

Pressure Technologies, Schroders Capital Global Innovation Trust

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Limited Red Ord

AGMS

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust , Helix Exploration, Nuformix, Sydbank A/S Sydbank Ord Shs

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury Publishing, Sanderson Design Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Minutes (11:00)

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock World Mining Trust, Chemring Group, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Bermuda Regd), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Jersey Reg), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Sing.Reg), Glanbia (CDI), Globaldata, Gore Street Energy Storage Fund , 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), Law Debenture Corp., Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Nichols, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Pearson