Week ahead: Central banks, Apple in focus
Investors' attention over the coming week will be on the world's two main central banks, the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.
On Wednesday, rate-setters at the former will get a chance to communicate their latest views on the outlook, while policymakers at the latter are likely to be grilled on the following day regarding how they view progress on Europe's crisis response plans.
Chinese manufacturing sector surveys for April, which are due for release on Thursday, may also move markets.
German retail sales figures for March and unemployment data covering April, both on Thursday, are also likely to draw considerable attention.
On the corporate side of things, Tesla will publish its latest quarterly earnings on Wednesday, followed by Apple on the next day.
Monday 27 April
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
General Electric Co (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Services Sentiment (EU) 10 (10:00)
FINALS
BlackBird, Centralnic Group , Lok'n Store Group, SIG, SpaceandPeople
ANNUAL REPORT
Phoenix Spree Deutschland Limited Shs NPV
AGMS
ECR Minerals, Hostelworld Group , Hutchison China Meditech Ltd, Murray International Trust, OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S), Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Polymetal International, The Simplybiz Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Centralnic Group , Mind Gym
Tuesday 28 April
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bioventix
FINALS
Integrated Diagnostics Holdings, Keystone Law Group , STM Group
ANNUAL REPORT
Impact Healthcare Reit
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Life Settlement Assets, Life Settlement Assets, Life Settlement Assets
EGMS
Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Alba Mineral Resources, Aptitude Software Group , Franchise Brands, Hammerson, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Pendragon, Seneca Growth Capital Vct, Weir Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Shoe Zone, XPS Pensions Group
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
CRH
Q1
Bank Pekao SA GDS (Reg S)
Wednesday 29 April
INTERIMS
Proactis Holdings
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock North American Income Trust
FINALS
Bank of Cyprus Holdings Public Limited Company, Brown (N.) Group, Destiny Pharma
AGMS
AIB Group, Apax Global Alpha Limited , AstraZeneca, Dalata Hotel Group, Elementis, Grafton Group Units, Greencoat Renewables, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Nichols, Persimmon, PJSC LSR Group GDR (REG S), Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S), Spirent Communications, Synthomer, Unilever, Witan Inv Trust
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mirada, Next, Persimmon, WPP
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
CLS Holdings
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Kakuzi Ltd.
Q1
Barclays, OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S)
Thursday 30 April
INTERIMS
Up Global Sourcing Holdings
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Grit Real Estate Income Group Limited NPV (DI), Heavitree Brewery 11 1/2% Cum Prf , Tristel
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Royal Bank of Scotland 11% Cum. Prf, Royal Bank of Scotland 5.5% Cum. Prf., Seneca Growth Capital Vct, Seneca Growth Capital Vct B
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BMO Private Equity Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Real Estate Investors
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
JpMorgan China Growth & Income , JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Supermarket Income Reit
FINALS
Morses Club , Ocean Outdoor Limited NPV (DI) , Sainsbury (J), Symphony Environmental Technologies, Westminster Group
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Billing Services Group Ltd., Pacific Alliance China Land Ltd.
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Ferrexpo
EGMS
PJSC Centre For Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Admiral Group, Billing Services Group Ltd., BlackRock World Mining Trust, British American Tobacco, Devro, Fisher (James) & Sons, Globaltrans Investment GDR (Reg S), Green Energy Technology Inc. GDR (Reg S), Greencoat UK Wind, Grupo Clarin SA GDR (Reg S), Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Kaz Minerals , Minoan Group, Mobile Streams, Network International Holdings, Octopus AIM VCT 2, Phoenix Copper Limited, Rockrose Energy, RPS Group, Schroders, Smurfit Kappa Group, Symphony International Holdings Ltd.
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Evraz, Howden Joinery Group, Kingspan Group, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Network International Holdings, Vivo Energy
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Octopus Titan VCT , Sureserve Group, Wynnstay Group
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Curtis Banks Group, Derwent London, Harworth Group, Holders Technology, LLoyds Banking Group 9.25% Non-Cum Irredeemable Pref Shares, LLoyds Banking Group 9.75% Non-Cum Irredeemable Pref Shares, London Stock Exchange Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , Octopus AIM VCT 2, Porvair
Q1
Apax Global Alpha Limited , Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B', Schroders, St James's Place
Friday 01 May
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd.
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BMO UK High Income Trust
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BMO UK High Income Trust B Shares
AGMS
Capital & Counties Properties , CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities Ltd GBP, Independent Oil & Gas , Kingspan Group, Man Group, Menzies(John)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Mobius Investment Trust , SEGRO, Spirent Communications
Q1
Royal Bank of Scotland Group