Tuesday preview: Kyiv-Moscow talks, UK employment in focus

Investors' focus on Tuesday will continue to be on negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow and whether they have yielded any results.

So too, the outcome of meetings between Chinese and US diplomate on Monday, in Rome, will also be closely monitored.

Against that backdrop, at 0700 GMT, the Office for National Statistics is expected to report that the rate of unemployment dipped from 4.1% over the three months ending in December to 4.0% for the three months to January.

In parallel, the annual rate of increase in average weekly earnings is expected to have increased by three tenths of a percentage point in January to reach 4.6%.

Across the Channel, at 1000 GMT, the ZEW institute´s economic confidence index for Germany will offer a first glimpse into analysts' reactions to the war in Ukraine.

Overnight, China's National Bureau of Statistics will publish key activity indicators for the month of February, including for industrial production and retail sales.

Tuesday 15 March

INTERIMS

Close Brothers Group, DFS Furniture, Ferguson, Litigation Capital Management Limited (DI), Virgin Wines UK

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Canadian General Investments Ltd., Merchants Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

Producer Price Index (US) (12:30)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

FINALS

Aptitude Software Group , Genel Energy, Genuit Group, Gresham House, Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI), Petrofac Ltd., Smart Metering Systems, TI Fluid Systems, Tissue Regenix Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI)

AGMS

BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

LLoyds Banking Group 6.475% Non-Cum Pref Shares, Newcastle 12 5/8% Perm Int Bearing Shs #1000