Week ahead: Ukraine, UK CPI, Fedspeak in focus
Investors' attention over the coming week will continue to be fixated on the war in Ukraine, even though hopes that a ceasefire might be implemented relatively quickly appear to have been dampened.
Against that backdrop, come Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics will release consumer price data for February.
Consensus is for the annual rate of consumer price inflation in the UK to have picked up from 5.5% in January to 5.9%.
On the same day, the Office for Budget Responsibility will publish its Spring Statement, which economists at Barclays Research anticipate will show a healthier fiscal position, despite projections for higher interest costs on the UK's debt.
Stateside, investors will likely be parsing a deluge of speeches from at least 10 top Federal Reserve officials.
Their guidance on the outlook for monetary policy will be punctuated, at the end of the week, by a final reading on consumer confidence in March, courtesy of the University of Michigan.
In the meantime, across the Channel, the week's key event will be preliminary readings for IHS Markit's surveys on conditions in the euro area's factory and services sectors.
The IFO institute's business confidence index for Germany in March and euro area money supply data for February, both of which are due out on Friday, will also be closely watched.
Interest rate decisions in Norway and Switzerland are also scheduled to be announced on Thursday.
Further afield, central bankers in China and Ghana will meet to decide on interest rates on Monday, followed by their peers in Hungary and Nigeria on the following day and those in the Philippines on Friday.
Monday 21 March
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
FINALS
Photo-Me International, Spectral Md Holdings, Ltd (DI) (Reg S), VH Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities
AGMS
Aferian, Inland Homes
Tuesday 22 March
INTERIMS
Diurnal Group, SCS Group , Softcat, YouGov
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Unilever
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Current Account (EU) (09:00)
FINALS
Alliance Pharma, Diaceutics , Fintel, Kape Technologies, LongBoat Energy , Luceco , Oxford Nanopore Technologies , Sabre Insurance Group, Staffline Group, The Pebble Group, Yu Group , Zotefoams
ANNUAL REPORT
Elementis, M&G
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Origo Partners , Origo Partners Conv Pref
EGMS
Bankmuscat (S.A.O.G) GDR (Reg S), Hochschild Mining
AGMS
Bankmuscat (S.A.O.G) GDR (Reg S), CC Japan Income & Growth Trust, Crest Nicholson Holdings, Standard Life Private Equity Trust, Starvest, Wynnstay Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)
Wednesday 23 March
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.NPV (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (11:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (14:00)
GMS
Strategic Equity Capital
FINALS
Dignity, Henry Boot, Judges Scientific, KRM22, Pendragon, Pittards, Sigmaroc , Surgical Innovations Group
AGMS
Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 2, Quartix Technologies
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (07:00)
Producer Price Index (07:00)
Retail Price Index (07:00)
Thursday 24 March
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
London Finance & Investment Group, Puma Vct 13
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
ADVFN, Close Brothers Group, Craneware, Ferguson, Finsbury Food Group, Fonix Mobile , Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, Volution Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
British American Tobacco
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (US) (13:30)
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
FINALS
Arbuthnot Banking Group, Arbuthnot Banking Group, Atalaya Mining, Bonhill Group, Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) , Eve Sleep PLC, Robinson, Secure Trust Bank, Sopheon , Starwood European Real Estate Finance Ltd, Venture Life Group, W.A.G Payment Solutions
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Greggs
AGMS
Blackrock Throgmorton Trust, Gunsynd , Hyundai Motor Company GDR (Reg S), Independent Inv Trust, LG Electronics Inc GDS (Reg S), LPA Group, N4 Pharma , React Group , Rights & Issues Investment Trust
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Jersey Electricity 'A' Shares
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
CLS Holdings, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Glanbia (CDI), IDOX, Kingspan Group (CDI), Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Nichols, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), OSB Group , Pearson, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting), XP Power Ltd. (DI)
Friday 25 March
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
City of London Investment Group, Foresight Group Holdings Limited NPV, Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Mattioli Woods
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BP, Honeycomb Investment Trust, Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, RM Infrastructure Income, Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited NPV
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (14:00)
U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (14:00)
FINALS
Ebiquity, Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI)
ANNUAL REPORT
Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ariana Resources, City of London Investment Group
AGMS
Beazley, Kitwave Group, PCF Group, SK Telecom Co Ltd. ADS
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)
Retail Sales (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Henderson Opportunities Trust