Week ahead: EU leaders' summit, claimant count in focus

Europe's government debt markets will be in the spotlight over the coming week amid the recent rise in euro area periphery debt yields.

Thursday is expected to be the key day, as European Union leaders meet to decide on a rescue package, including whether or not to issue joint debt or so-called 'corona bonds'.

In timely fashion, ratings agency Standard&Poor's is expected to publish a review of Italian debt on the following day, alongside similar evaluations for Greek and UK debt.

On home shores, employment data due out on Tuesday are expected to reveal a record 400,000 rise in the March claimant count.

Survey results from IHS Markit and the Confederation of British Industry, both on Thursday, may also make for grim reading.

Stateside, focus will be on whether Congress can agree on an expansion of relief measures for smaller-sized companies.

Monday, 20 April

FINALS

Xpediator, Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) 'B' Limited, Pennant International Group, Be Heard Group, Sigmaroc, Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) C Limited NPV, Coro Energy, Filta Group Holdings, LiDCO Group, Sumo Group, Card Factory, Calisen

Q1

Bankmuscat (S.A.O.G) GDR (Reg S)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ixico, Marston's, Redrow, Future, BMO Real Estate Investments Limited, Sysgroup, Proactis Holdings, Yourgene Health, Omega Diagnostics Group, Cerillion, Rank Group, Premier Foods, NAHL GROUP, Yellow Cake, Gresham Technologies, Tekcapital, Global Ports Investments GDR (REG S), Maestrano Group, Triple Point Income VCT E, Shanta Gold Ltd., Totally, Abcam, Polymetal International, Flowtech Fluidpower

AGMs

SThree, MetalNRG

EGMs

Wisdomtree Issuer WT Europe Equity Ucits ETF USD Hedged

ANNUAL REPORT

Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) 'B' Limited, Pennant International Group, Horizonte Minerals, Hilton Food Group, Proteome Sciences, Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) C Limited NPV, Team17 Group

DRILLING REPORT

Polymetal International, South32 Limited (DI), Trinity Exploration & Production, Tertiary Minerals, Primorus Investments

Shanta Gold Ltd., Power Metal Resources

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Invesco Asia Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

Tuesday, 21 April

FINALS

Filta Group Holdings, LiDCO Group, Sumo Group, Card Factory, Calisen, Flowtech Fluidpower

INTERIMS

Associated British Foods, Egdon Resources

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEGRO, Flowtech Fluidpower

AGMs

SEGRO, London Stock Exchange Group, Globaldata, Porvair, Aberdeen Emerging Markets Investment Company

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Thorpe (F.W.), Hansard Global

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Urban Logistics Reit

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (12:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

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

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

Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)

Wednesday 22 April

FINALS

Boohoo Group, JTC, FEVERTREE DRINKS, XLMedia, RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV

INTERIMS

AB Dynamics, WH Smith

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

CRH

AGMs

EP Global Opportunities Trust, Premier Global Infrastructure Trust, Glanbia, Drax Group

EGMs

Arkle Resources

ANNUAL REPORT

RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (07:00)

Retail Price Index (07:00)

Producer Price Index (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Wednesday 22 April

FINALS

Boohoo Group, JTC, FEVERTREE DRINKS, XLMedia, RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV

INTERIMS

AB Dynamics, WH Smith

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

CRH

AGMs

EP Global Opportunities Trust, Premier Global Infrastructure Trust, Glanbia, Drax Group

EGMs

Arkle Resources

ANNUAL REPORT

RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (07:00)

Retail Price Index (07:00)

Producer Price Index (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Thursday 23 April

FINALS

Walker Greenbank, NMCN, Alfa Financial Software Holdings

Q1

Unilever

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

RELX plc, Gear4music (Holdings), Meggitt

AGMs

RELX plc, Domino's Pizza Group, Redx Pharma, CLS Holdings, Taylor Wimpey, Tullow Oil, Mobius Investment Trust, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, MD Medical Group Investments GDR (Reg S), Croda International, Synectics, Meggitt, Aggreko, AFC Energy, N4 Pharma, Blencowe Resources, OJSC Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), ITV, St. Modwen Properties, Senior, O'Key Group GDR (Reg S) (WI), AssetCo, Rotork, Pearson

EGMs

Palm Hills Developments SAE GDR (Reg S)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Rathbone Brothers, 888 Holdings, Downing Three VCT J Shs, Antofagasta, M. P. Evans Group, Drax Group, Fresnillo, Downing Two VCT G Shs, Legal & General Group, Tclarke, Sanne Group, Bodycote, Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust, Chesnara, KAZ Minerals, Downing Two VCT K, John Laing Group, TI Fluid Systems, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Sabre Insurance Group, RELX plc

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI)

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

CQS Natural Resources Growth and Income, Alcentra Euorpean Floating Rate Income Fund Ltd Red Ord Shs, Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund Limited, Highland Gold Mining Ltd., Aberdeen Asian Income Fund Ltd., Bankers Inv Trust, City Merchants High Yield Trust

International Public Partnerships Ltd., Tritax Big Box Reit, Invesco Perpetual Select Trust Managed Liquidity Shares, NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Ltd GBP, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited, SME Credit Realisation Fund Limited NPV, JPMorgan American Inv Trust, Investment Company, Invesco Perpetual Select Trust Glbl Eqty Inc Shs, NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Ltd USD, Mcbride, Cello Health, Invesco Perpetual Select Trust UK Equity Shares, Smart Metering Systems, Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Inv Trust, CQS New City High Yield Fund Limited

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Mid Cap Inv Trust, BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Pacific Alliance China Land Ltd., John Laing Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Yew Grove Reit, M Winkworth, City of London Inv Trust, SME Credit Realisation Fund Limited NPV, CUSTODIAN REIT, Merchants Trust,

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Friday 25 April

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Science Group

AGMs

Rotork, Pearson, OJSC Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), ITV, St. Modwen Properties, Senior, O'Key Group GDR (Reg S) (WI), AssetCo

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Relx Plc

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Globaldata, Chemring Group, Glanbia, Impax Environmental Markets

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

EIH Plc

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Troy Income & Growth Trust, Henderson High Income Trust, Brooks Macdonald Group, Henderson EuroTrust, Aberdeen Smaller Companies Income Trust, JPMorgan Global Markets Emerging Income Trust, Shires Income

SQN Secured Income Fund

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Standard Life Private Equity Trust

Value and Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)

IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (15:00)