Thursday preview: China CPI, Aviva in the spotlight

Financial markets' focus will shift to the Peoples' Republic of China on Thursday.

Overnight, China's National Bureau of Statistics would publish consumer and producer price figures for the month of February.

Consensus was for the annual rate of increase in the former to have slowed from 2.1% in January to 1.9% while factory gate prices were seen dropping by 1.3% after a 0.8% fall during the month before.

Later during the Asia session, the People's Bank of China was to release money supply and credit and lending figures for the same month.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Cabinet Office would publish a revised reading for fourth quarter gross domestic product growth with the market consensus anticipating an upwards revision from 0.6% quarterly annualised to 0.8%.

Rate-setters in Malaysia were due to meet to decide on interest rates with economists at Barclays Research anticipating a 25 basis point interest rate hike to 3.0%.

On home shores, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors was scheduled to publish its house price balance for February.

Stateside, the Department of Labor would release weekly unemployment claims figures including for the first few days of March in the case of the initial jobless claims numbers.

Across the Channel meanwhile, the lone data point due out for investors would be French non-farm payrolls figures covering the last three months of 2022.

On the corporate side of things, Aviva will post its full-year 2022 results.

The insurer's shares had been trading steadily in a range between 430.0-460.0p since its third quarter update in November.

However, there was some volatility in January after rival Direct Line cut its dividend due to higher claim costs triggered by extreme weather events linked to a hot summer and a cold spell in December and January, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK pointed out.

In November, Aviva left its guidance for its full-year dividend unchanged at 31p per share in 2022 and at 32.5p for 2023.

Later in January Aviva said it expected to incur in an additional £50m of costs due to the freezing weather during December and January.

Thursday 9 March

FINALS

Harbour Energy, Forterra, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.NPV (CDI), M&G, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Pagegroup, Franchise Brands, Aviva, Informa, Convatec Group, Digital 9 Infrastructure NPV, Network International Holdings, Robert Walters, Entain

INTERIMS

Kier Group, Volution Group, Hansard Global, Seraphim Space Investment Trust

AGMs

Ct Uk Capital and Income Investment Trust

GMs

Zamaz

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock World Mining Trust, Rio Tinto, Athelney Trust, Woodside Energy Group Ltd NPV (DI), Law Debenture Corp., Apax Global Alpha Limited

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BHP Group Limited NPV (DI), Crown Place VCT, JPMorgan Global Markets Emerging Income Trust, PZ Cussons, Beazley, Warehouse Reit, Alliance Trust, Ricardo, Melrose Industries, Ground Rents Income Fund, Renishaw, Tritax Big Box Reit, SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust, DX (Group), Pantheon Infrastructure, Ct Uk Capital and Income Investment Trust, Brooks Macdonald Group, Ediston Property Investment Company, Colefax Group, South32 Limited (DI), Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, LondonMetric Property

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

SSE

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Foresight Solar & Technology VCT

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

RM Infrastructure Income, Energean, Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust, Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust, Assura, Alpha Real Trust Ltd.

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)