Thursday preview: Ukraine conflict, Meggitt in the spotlight

All eyes on Thursday will be on attempts to try and at least work out a ceasefire deal in the Ukraine conflict over the Orthodox Easter holiday, as well on restarting talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Against that backdrop, after the close of markets in London, US Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, is due to take part on an IMF panel on the global economy.

In terms of data, the main release of the session will be the results of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's regional factory survey for April at 1500 GMT.

Across the Channel on the other hand, the session's main talking point will be a reading on euro area consumer prices for March and survey data for consumer confidence in April.

No major economic releases are scheduled in the UK.

UK aerospace manufacturer Meggitt will be in the spotlight on the company side of things as it reports on its first quarter performance.

It will be doing so even as investors are waiting for the government's decision on whether to greenlight its takeover by US outfit Parker Hannifin, or not, not least due to national security considerations.

The aerospace and defence component manufacturer moved back into the black during the preceding year, but the company declined to offer guidance for the current year because it was under the provisions of the UK takeover code.

The transaction with Parker Hannifin was expected to complete during the third quarter.

Thursday 21 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Finsbury Food Group, Hansard Global, JPMorgan Mid Cap Inv Trust

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Provident Financial, SCS Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

JpMorgan China Growth & Income , M Winkworth, Supermarket Income Reit

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Bonhill Group, Churchill China, Churchill China, LBG Media , Safestyle UK , Serica Energy

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Rio Tinto

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Gemfields Group Limited

EGMS

Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares

AGMS

Alliance Trust, Honye Financial Services Limited (DI), Ibstock , Journeo , Journeo , Relx plc, Senior, STV Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

AJ Bell, BHP Group Limited NPV (DI), DP Poland, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Meggitt, PensionBee Group , Relx plc, Rentokil Initial, SEGRO, XPS Pensions Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Micro Focus International, Rio Tinto

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Antofagasta, BAE Systems, Bodycote, Breedon Group , Cairn Homes (CDI), Essentra, Eurocell , FBD Holdings (CDI), Genuit Group, Gresham Technologies, Highcroft Investment, Hunting, JPMorgan American Inv Trust, Jupiter Fund Management , Just Group, Legal & General Group, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Portmeirion Group, Rathbone Group, Robert Walters, RPS Group, Secure Trust Bank, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Tclarke , Uniphar (CDI), Vitec Group, Weir Group, Wickes Group

Q1

Antofagasta