Thursday preview: Inflation data, IAG in focus

Should the Federal Reserve begin to reduce interest rates in June?

Investors will be hoping that inflation readings contained in the latest personal income and spending report, on Thursday, will yield clues regarding the answer to that question.

The report will be released at 1330 GMT and is expected to show that the core rate for the personal consumption expenditures price deflator ticked lower in January to reach 2.8% year-on-year.

That would be down from a reading of 2.9% in December.

Later in the session, several top Fed officials are scheduled to take to the podium.

In the UK, at 0930 GMT the Bank of England is due to release money supply and personal net lending data for January.

Those figures will be preceded by Halifax's monthly house price survey for February.

Across the Channel, preliminary readings for French, German and Spanish consumer prices in February are all set for release.

So too are readings on retail sales and unemployment in Germany covering the months of January and February, respectively.

In the company space meanwhile, British Airways owner IAG will post its full-year numbers.

UBS analyst Jarrod Castle's estimates are for net income of €2.31bn on revenues of €29.5bn.

Given the Capital Markets Day in November, investors' focus would likely be on IAG's outlook for 2024, he said.

Thursday 29 February

INTERIMS

Character Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

City of London 4.2% Cum 1st Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust 4.2% Non-Cum 2nd Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust Preference Ord Stk 14% Non-Cumulative 1, NB Private Equity Partners Ltd.

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Ashmore Group, City of London Investment Group, Diageo, Genus, Hargreaves Lansdown, Hays, MJ Gleeson , North Atlantic Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Sylvania Platinum Ltd (DI), Wilmington

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

City of London Inv Trust, Custodian Property Income Reit, Picton Property Income Ltd

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Diversified Energy Company , Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust, HICL Infrastructure , Regional REIT Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

GMS

Vast Resources

FINALS

Cairn Homes (CDI), Dalata Hotel Group (CDI), Drax Group, Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI), Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Haleon , Haleon , Hammerson, Howden Joinery Group, Hunting, International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI), London Stock Exchange Group, London Stock Exchange Group, London Stock Exchange Group, London Stock Exchange Group, Macfarlane Group, Man Group, Mobico Group, Nexus Infrastructure , Ocado Group, PPHE Hotel Group Ltd, Schroders, Seplat Energy (DI), Serco Group, Serco Group, Shaftesbury Capital, Spectris, Spire Healthcare Group, Vesuvius, Vesuvius, Weir Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI), Me Group International

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Plus500 Ltd (DI)

EGMS

China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co., Ltd GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Home Reit , Income & Growth VCT , IntegraFin Holding, Intuitive Investments Group , Watkin Jones

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Credit (09:30)

M4 Money Supply (09:30)

Mortgage Approvals (09:30)

Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Compass Group, SSP Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Barclays, Bristol Water 'A' 8 3/4% Cum Irrd Prf, Brunner Inv Trust, Driver Group, General Accident (Prf), Morgan Advance Materials 5% Cumulative 2nd Preference 1, Morgan Advance Materials 5.5% Cumulative 1st preference 1, Northern Electricity Prf, Plus500 Ltd (DI), S and U 6% Cumulative Prf. £1, Scottish American Inv Company, Tharisa (DI)