Week ahead: Bank of England, Fed rate decisions in the spotlight

Investors' focus over the coming week would be squarely on central bank policy decisions in the UK and U.S..

Those meetings would take place on Thursday and Wednesday, respectively.

Rate-setters at the Bank of England are expected to stay put with the meeting minutes likely to show a continued need for greater confidence but smaller tail risks, economists at BofA said in a research note sent to clients.

In the case of the Fed, BofA said that it was expecting the central bank to "revise its outlook in favor of stronger growth and somewhat firmer inflation while leaving unemployment near multi-decade lows.

"If so, it can guide markets to a cutting cycle that begins in June, but the clear risk is it defers cuts. The median 2024 dot should still show three cuts, but it is a close call."

A raft of other central bank meetings were also scheduled for across the week, including the Bank of Japan and Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday, while policymakers at the People's Bank of China were due to meet on Wednesday.

Central bank meeting in Switzerland and Norway would take place on Thursday.

In the emerging markets space meantime, central bank decisions were being waited on in Brazil, Türkiye, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czechia, Guatemala, Pakistan and Taiwan.

Monday 18 March

INTERIMS

Seeing Machines Ltd. NPV (DI)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

B.P. Marsh & Partners

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

GMS

EnSilica

FINALS

Marshalls, Team Internet Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Team Internet Group

AGMS

Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust, United Bank Ltd GDR (Reg S)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Triple Point Venture Vct

Tuesday 19 March

INTERIMS

Close Brothers Group, DFS Furniture, Eagle Eye Solutions Group, Litigation Capital Management Limited (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Building Permits (US) (12:30)

Housing Starts (US) (12:30)

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

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

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

GMS

Custodian Property Income Reit, ECO Animal Health Group, Scirocco Energy

FINALS

Atalaya Mining, Diversified Energy Company , Essentra, Fintel, Harworth Group, Harworth Group, M. P. Evans Group, Midwich Group, MPAC Group, Personal Group Holdings, Sabre Insurance Group, Staffline Group, The Pebble Group, Tissue Regenix Group, Trustpilot Group , Videndum , Zotefoams

ANNUAL REPORT

Atalaya Mining, IWG

AGMS

Blackrock Throgmorton Trust, Crest Nicholson Holdings, Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 1 , Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 2, Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 2, Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 2, Nuformix, Various Eateries

Wednesday 20 March

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (14:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (11:00)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

GMS

United Oil & Gas

FINALS

Anpario, Ceres Power Holdings, Computacenter, EKF Diagnostics Holdings , Eurocell , Eurocell , FDM Group (Holdings), IQGEO Group, Kenmare Resources (CDI), Prudential

EGMS

MTI Wireless Edge Ltd., MTI Wireless Edge Ltd.

AGMS

BSF Enterprise , MTI Wireless Edge Ltd., MTI Wireless Edge Ltd.

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (07:00)

Producer Price Index (07:00)

Retail Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Virgin Money UK

Thursday 21 March

INTERIMS

Regtech Open Project

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Beazley, Craneware, Fonix Mobile , Hargreaves Services, London Finance & Investment Group, NWF Group, Thorpe (F.W.), Tristel

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Abrdn Private Equity Opportunities Trust, British American Tobacco

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

Current Account (US) (12:30)

Existing Home Sales (US) (14:00)

IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)

IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)

IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)

FINALS

Aptitude Software Group , Aptitude Software Group , Aquis Exchange , Centamin (DI), Direct Line Insurance Group, Dowlais Group, Energean , Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd Com Shs (DI), Hostelworld Group , Ithaca Energy, Judges Scientific, M&G, National World , Next, Tribal Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Primorus Investments

EGMS

Dish TV India Limited GDR (Each Repr One Shr)

AGMS

Athelney Trust, Banco Santander S.A., Hyundai Motor Company GDR (Reg S), Jyske Bank A/S , Pressure Technologies, Pressure Technologies

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

C&C Group (CDI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AIB Group (CDI), BlackRock World Mining Trust, Chemring Group, CLS Holdings, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Crest Nicholson Holdings, DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Bermuda Regd), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Jersey Reg), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Sing.Reg), Glanbia (CDI), Globaldata, HGCapital Trust, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, MTI Wireless Edge Ltd., Nichols, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Pearson, Schroders

Friday 22 March

INTERIMS

SkinBioTherapeutics , Smiths Group, Wetherspoon (J.D.)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Mattioli Woods, Mobeus Income & Growth 4 Vct, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Unilever

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

GMS

Triple Point Energy Transition

FINALS

Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust, Phoenix Group Holdings , Robinson

ANNUAL REPORT

Nexus Infrastructure

AGMS

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI), Kitwave Group, URU Metals Ltd. (DI), URU Metals Ltd. (DI), URU Metals Ltd. (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)

Retail Sales (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

easyJet, Gulf Investment Fund, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Hercules Site Services , Impax Asset Management Group, Ramsdens Holdings