Wednesday preview: Global manufacturing in the spotlight

Financial markets' focus on Wednesday will be firmly on global manufacturing sector conditions, especially in the US.

The analyst consensus is for the Institute for Supply Management's factory sector Purchasing Managers' Index to retreat from February's reading of 50.1 to 46.0 in March and thus to firmly enter contractionary territory.

Investors will also be looking for confirmation of Tuesday's unexpectedly strong reading on Chinese manufacturing from a government survey in the form of the private sector-compiled Caixin PMI for March.

Also due out overnight is the Bank of Japan's Tankan business confidence survey for large manufacturing and services sector firms in March.

Equivalent PMI readings are also due out in the euro area and the UK, although a preliminary, and much worse than anticipated, reading for the former has already been published.

Wednesday 01 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Beeks Financial Cloud Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Total SA

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Auto Sales (US) (20:30)

Construction Spending (US) (15:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

PMI Manufacturing (GER) (08:55)

PMI Manufacturing (EU) (09:00)

PMI Manufacturing (US) (14:45)

Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (EU) (10:00)

FINALS

Brave Bison Group, Cathay International Holdings Ltd., Futura Medical, RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI), The Mission Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Cathay International Holdings Ltd., RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI)

EGMS

Redt Energy

AGMS

Primary Health Properties, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Topps Tiles, Wizz Air Holdings

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

PMI Manufacturing (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Bristol Water 'A' 8 3/4% Cum Irrd Prf, General Accident (Prf), John Menzies 9% Cumulative Preference 1, Morgan Advance Materials 5% Cumulative 2nd Preference 1, Morgan Advance Materials 5.5% Cumulative 1st preference 1, RSA Ins 7 3/8%pf, Stand.Ch.7te%pr, Standard Chartered 8 1/4% Non-Cum Irrd Pref