Week ahead: Raft of UK data, ECB, US housing in focus

Investors will need to wade through a raft of economic data this coming week, including the March unemployment report, retail sales and public finance figures, on Wednesday and Thursday.

The latter, in particular, will likely kick up a considerable storm as the Chancellor’s budget plans feel the strain of the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit referendum as it weighs down economic activity.

Also on Thursday, the European Central Bank’s governing council will meet to decide on interest rates. No changes are expected but Draghi’s press conference may be worth following giving recent criticism of the ECB’s stimulus from German finance chief Wolfgang Schaeuble - despite the lack of economic reforms by Eurozone governments.

Preliminary readings for euro area purchasing managers’ indices referencing the month of April will also be closely watched, as markets look for signs that the latest round of stimulus from the ECB is kicking in.

Stateside, the homebuilding sector – which according to research from Ned Davis Research has the biggest impact on the S&P 500 - will be in focus.

Data on housing starts are scheduled for release on Tuesday, followed by figures on existing home sales on Wednesday and the Philly Fed’s regional manufacturing gauge on Thursday.

Monday 18 April

FINALS
Elecosoft, Mayair Group, NetDimensions (Holdings) Limited (DI), SimiGon Ltd. (DI)

EGMS
Cairn Homes , PetroNeft Resources

AGMS
Centrica, LGO Energy

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Centrica, Plus500 Ltd (DI)

Tuesday 19 April

INTERIMS
Associated British Foods, Connect Group, McCarthy & Stone, Utilitywise plc

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fusionex International, Volta Finance Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Building Permits (US) (13:30)
Current Account (EU) (09:00)
Housing Starts (US) (13:30)
ZEW Survey (EU) (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) (10:00)

FINALS
Defenx, Regional REIT Limited, Saga

ANNUAL REPORT
Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd.(DI), Premier Energy & Water Trust

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Henderson Global Trust

AGMS
EFG-Hermes Holding SAE GDR (Reg S), Herald Inv Trust, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, McColl's Retail Group , Premier Energy & Water Trust, ZCCM Investments Holdings 'B' Shares

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Aveva Group

Wednesday 20 April

INTERIMS
Punch Taverns

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Close Brothers Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Assura

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS
Brown (N.) Group

DRILLING REPORT
BHP Billiton

AGMS
Bunzl, Domino's Pizza Group, EP Global Opportunities Trust, EP Global Opportunities Trust, Essentra, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Moneysupermarket.com Group, Permanent TSB Group Holdings, RTC Group, Unilever, Verseon Corporation (DI/REG S)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Relx plc

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (11:00)
Claimant Count Rate (09:30)
Unemployment Rate (09:30)

Q1
ARM Holdings, Kcell Joint Stock Co GDR (Reg S)

Thursday 21 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Sky

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Orchard Funding Group , UK Mortgages Limited

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Ediston Property Investment Company, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)
House Price Index (US) (14:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Leading Indicators (US) (14:00)
Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

Q3
Sky

FINALS
Corero Network Security, Immedia Group

ANNUAL REPORT
Mail.ru Group Ltd GDR (Reg S)

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bodycote, Novae Group

AGMS
Acacia Mining, Anglo American, Fevertree Drinks, Horizonte Minerals, Meggitt, Relx plc, Sampo OYJ

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ladbrokes, Mail.ru Group Ltd GDR (Reg S), SEGRO

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Distributive Trends Surveys (11:00)
Public Sector Net Borrowing (09:30)
Retail Sales (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Lavendon Group, Law Debenture Corp., Lighthouse Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aggreko, ARM Holdings, BAE Systems, Belvoir Lettings, Bodycote, Capita, Centamin (DI), Communisis, Drax Group, Fresnillo, Greggs, Hastings Group Holdings , Impax Environmental Markets, IndigoVision Group, John Laing Group , Kingspan Group, M. P. Evans Group, Man Group, Marshall Motor Holdings, Martinco , Merchants Trust, Mondi, NAHL Group, Novae Group, Pendragon, Petrofac Ltd., Portmeirion Group, RPS Group, Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) 'B' Limited, Smith & Nephew, Stilo International, Tyman, Unite Group, Vitec Group, Zotefoams

Q1
Acacia Mining

Friday 22 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bioventix, Finsbury Food Group, Produce Investments, Smiths Group, Tracsis

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan Income & Capital Inv Trust

EGMS
Global Ports Investments GDR (REG S), JPMorgan Senior Secured Loan Fund Limited

AGMS
Global Ports Investments GDR (REG S), HSBC Holdings, JSC Halyk Bank GDR (Reg S), Komercni Banka A.S.GDR (Level 1), Molins, OAO Novatek GDR (Reg S), Premier African Minerals Ltd, SEGRO, SVG Capital

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Record

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Public Sector Finances (09:30)