Week ahead: Federal Reserve, US Q1 GDP in focus

The market spotlight over the coming week will be on the Federal Reserve as central bankers in the US meet to decide on policy on Wednesday.

Some investors are particularly sensitive at the moment to any new insights on the policy outlook, given the possibility that a pick up in economic growth and supply constraints could push inflation noticeably higher, even if only in the near term.

Policymakers at the Fed have up until now been stressing that there is in fact still a very large amount of slack in the economy, not least in the labour market.

The next day, the US Commerce Department will release a preliminary reading on first quarter gross domestic growth, which is expected to reveal an acceleration from the annualised 4.3% clip observed in the last three months of 2020 to 6.5%.

Results from two key manufacturing sector survey results in the People's Republic of China are scheduled for release as well, on Friday, and could easily move markets.

Across the Channel, markets are likely to focus on the German IFO institute's business confidence index, due out on Monday, and the latest German unemployment figures which are scheduled for release on Thursday.

Other key risk events to watch for include the Bank of Japan's policy meeting, on Tuesday, and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries ministerial meeting on Wednesday.

Monday 26 April

INTERIMS

Lok'n Store Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

General Electric Co (CDI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)

IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)

IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

FINALS

United Oil & Gas , GYG

AGMS

Hostelworld Group , JPMorgan US Smaller Co. Inv Tst, Polymetal International

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lenta International Public Joint-Stock Company GDR (144A)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Hikma Pharmaceuticals

Tuesday 27 April

INTERIMS

Egdon Resources, Focusrite

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)

Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)

GDP (Preliminary) (US) (13:30)

Housing Starts (US) (14:00)

Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)

FINALS

Anexo Group , Gaming Realms, Inspiration Healthcare Group , Nostrum Oil & Gas , Xaar, XLMedia

AGMS

Aquis Exchange , Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S), Travis Perkins, Tribal Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Vivo Energy

Q1

BP

Wednesday 28 April

INTERIMS

AB Dynamics, Home Reit

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Close Brothers Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)

GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

GMS

Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), G4S, Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)

FINALS

Brave Bison Group, French Connection Group, Heiq, LSL Property Services, Pennant International Group, Property Franchise Group, Sainsbury (J), Tissue Regenix Group, Warpaint London

IMSS

Lloyds Banking Group

EGMS

Eurasia Mining, Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Aberdeen Smaller Companies Income Trust, British American Tobacco, CPP Group, FDM Group (Holdings), Fintel, Global Invacom Group Limited (DI), Grafton Group Ut (CDI), Greencoat UK Wind, Hutchison China Meditech Ltd, KRM22, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Landshypotek Bank AB 4.59% Nts 17/11/21, London Stock Exchange Group, MHP SE GDR (Reg S), Mobius Investment Trust , NATWEST GROUP PLC ORD 100P, Nichols, Pendragon, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD), Persimmon, Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust, Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust, RPS Group, Smithson Investment Trust, Spirent Communications, Witan Inv Trust

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

1Spatial, Persimmon

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

XP Power Ltd. (DI)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Meikles Ltd.

Q1

GlaxoSmithKline

Thursday 29 April

INTERIMS

C4X Discovery Holdings , Proactis Holdings, WH Smith

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

HSBC Holdings

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Northamber, Royal Bank of Scotland 11% Cum. Prf, Royal Bank of Scotland 5.5% Cum. Prf., Seneca Growth Capital Vct B

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Blackrock North American Income Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

City of London Inv Trust, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, SME Credit Realisation Fund Limited NPV, Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited NPV

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)

Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Services Sentiment (EU) (10:00)

Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

FINALS

Angle, RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV, Shield Therapeutics, Woodbois Limited, Xeros Technology Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Mail.ru Group Ltd GDR (Reg S), RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV, Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Invesco Enhanced Income Limited, John Laing Group

AGMS

Allianz Technology Trust, BlackRock World Mining Trust, CRH (CDI), Dalata Hotel Group (CDI), Devro, Flutter Entertainment (CDI), Glencore , Globaltrans Investment GDR (Reg S), Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Hawkwing, International Personal Finance, ITV, Kaz Minerals , Kaz Minerals , Kerry Group 'A' Shares (CDI), Meggitt, Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), Octopus AIM VCT 2, PJSC LSR Group GDR (REG S), Schroders, STV Group, Synthomer, Weir Group, Yamana Gold Inc. NPV (CDI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Convatec Group , Evraz, Flutter Entertainment (CDI), Howden Joinery Group, Inchcape, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Meggitt, Schroders, Smith & Nephew, Unilever

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

CLS Holdings, Smart Metering Systems

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AVI Japan Opportunity Trust , Banco Santander S.A., Central Asia Metals, Coats Group, Derwent London, Henry Boot, HGCapital Trust, John Laing Group , London Stock Exchange Group, Morgan Advanced Materials , Morgan Sindall Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , Octopus AIM VCT 2, Porvair, Relx plc, Rightmove, Sanne Group, Total Produce (CDI), TT Electronics

Q1

Indivior, NATWEST GROUP PLC ORD 100P, Nokia OYJ, Nokia OYJ, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B'

Friday 30 April

INTERIMS

Infrastrata, Up Global Sourcing Holdings

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Heavitree Brewery 11 1/2% Cum Prf , Origin Enterprises (CDI), Tristel

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, BMO Private Equity Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV, Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Real Estate Investors, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited , Value and Indexed Property Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)

Import Price Index (GER) (08:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

Personal Income (US) (13:30)

Personal Spending (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)

GMS

Elixirr International

FINALS

Westminster Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Quartix Holdings , Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), Spirent Communications

EGMS

Tremor International LTD (DI)

AGMS

Admiral Group, BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. NPV (DI), Grupo Clarin SA GDR (Reg S), Kingspan Group (CDI), Minoan Group, Pearson, Rotork, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI), Supply@Me Capital , Symphony International Holdings Ltd.

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

BB Healthcare Trust (Red), Nippon Active Value Fund , Quartix Holdings , RM, Shanta Gold Ltd., Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), Spirent Communications, Sureserve Group, Wynnstay Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Seplat Petroleum Development Company (DI)

Q1

AstraZeneca, Barclays