Wednesday preview: Federal Reserve, Haleon in focus

Investors' focus in the middle of the week will be on the U.S. central bank.

Officials are expected to announce at 1830 BST that policy was kept unchanged, but there is great interest as to just how aggressive Fed chief Jerome Powell will choose to be.

Worth noting, Fed funds futures were last discounting just 77% odds of one 25 basis point rate cut by year end, down from the six reductions that had been priced-in at the end of 2023.

The ISM institute's services sector Purchasing Managers' Index and the JOLTS jobs market report, both of which were due out at 1400 BST, would also be closely watched for any fresh insights into the economic cycle.

In the UK, at 0600 BST mortgage lender Nationwide will publish its house price index for April.

No major releases are scheduled across the Channel.

UBS analyst Guillaume Delmas's estimates are calling for consumer health company Haleon to report a 2.5% decline in revenues to £2.91bn, for a 2.9% dip in earnings before interest and taxes to £691m.

Earnings per share meanwhile are seen falling 6.2% to 4.65p.

Organic sales on the other hand are seen by Delmas rising by 3.2%, versus company guidance for an increase of "just below the lower end of the 4-6% range" anticipated by management for the full year.

Wednesday 01 May

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

NWF Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Natwest Group 11% Cum Non-Red Prf Gbp1 , Natwest Group 5.5% Cum Non-Red Prf Gbp1

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Auto Sales (US) (20:30)

Construction Spending (US) (15:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

FOMC Interest Rate (US) (19:00)

ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)

ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

PMI Manufacturing (US) (14:45)

GMS

Apax Global Alpha Limited

FINALS

HSS Hire Group , Maintel Holdings

AGMS

Alfa Financial Software Holdings , Alpha Group International, Apax Global Alpha Limited , Domino's Pizza Group, Flutter Entertainment (DI), Glanbia (CDI), Johnson Service Group, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Smith & Nephew, Spirent Communications, STV Group, Tritax Big Box Reit , Witan Inv Trust

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Haleon , Next

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

PMI Manufacturing (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Dalata Hotel Group (CDI)