Thursday preview: NATO/G7/EU meetings, factory and services PMIs in focus
The market spotlight on Thursday will be on the results of back-to-back discussions at NATO, G7 and the EU councild and what they might yield in terms of new sanctions on Russia.
Against that backdrop, IHS Markit will release preliminary readings for its factory and services sector surveys for the euro area, UK and US covering the month of March, providing investors with a first look into the impact on economies of the war in Ukraine.
In the case of the UK, consensus is anticipating only a modest drop in the services PMI from 60.5 for February to 58.0 in March, while that for manufacturing is seen dipping from 58.0 to 57.0.
Also due out across the Channel are interest rate announcements in Norway and Switzerland.
Stateside meanwhile, the market spotlight will be on data for weekly unemployment claims and the results of two purchasing managers' surveys covering US factory and services sector activity in March.
A preliminary reading on durable goods orders in February is also due out.
Thursday 24 March
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
London Finance & Investment Group, Puma Vct 13
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
ADVFN, Close Brothers Group, Craneware, Ferguson, Finsbury Food Group, Fonix Mobile , Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, Volution Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
British American Tobacco
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (US) (13:30)
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
FINALS
Arbuthnot Banking Group, Arbuthnot Banking Group, Atalaya Mining, Bonhill Group, Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) , Eve Sleep PLC, Robinson, Secure Trust Bank, Sopheon , Starwood European Real Estate Finance Ltd, Venture Life Group, W.A.G Payment Solutions
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Greggs
AGMS
Blackrock Throgmorton Trust, Gunsynd , Hyundai Motor Company GDR (Reg S), Independent Inv Trust, LG Electronics Inc GDS (Reg S), LPA Group, N4 Pharma , React Group , Rights & Issues Investment Trust
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Jersey Electricity 'A' Shares
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
CLS Holdings, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Glanbia (CDI), IDOX, Kingspan Group (CDI), Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Nichols, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), OSB Group , Pearson, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting), XP Power Ltd. (DI)