Week ahead: Ukraine war, US CPI, ECB in the spotlight

The world's gaze over the coming week will continue to be fixated on the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with investors watching to see if further sanctions are imposed on Russia, particularly on the country's oil and gas exports, even as they hope for a negotiated solution.

Against that backdrop, the week's main economic release will be Thursday's reading on US consumer prices in February, which will arrive just a week ahead of the Federal Reserve's next policy meeting on 15-16 March.

Preliminary results from a survey of consumer confidence in the US, courtesy of the University of Michigan, will also provide insights into Americans' first reaction to the war.

On the same day, rate-setters at the European Central Bank are expected to announce the postponement of their exit from quantitative easing.

In the UK, the week will be back-end loaded with a reading on gross domestic product growth in January due out.

Meanwhile, in Asia, the Chinese National People´s Congress will be held over the weekend.

It will be followed by readings on foreign trade as well as on consumer and factory gate prices in February, on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.

Monday 7 March

FINALS

Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust, BiVictriX, Therapeutics, Clarkson, Various Eateries, CloudCoco Group, MTI Wireless Edge Ltd.

HGCapital Trust

INTERIMS

Interims, Physiomics

EGMs

Crystal Amber Fund Ltd.

ANNUAL REPORT

BiVictriX Therapeutics, HGCapital Trust, Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust

DRILLING REPORT

Serabi Gold, Xtract Resources

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, PayPoint

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

General Electric Co (CDI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

Current Account (GER) (07:00)

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Tuesday 8 March

FINALS

Capricorn Energy, Gresham Technologies, Engage XR Holdings (CDI), Greggs, Bakkavor Group, Johnson Service Group, M&G, Wood Group (John), Capital & Regional

Convatec Group, H&T Group, Made.com Group, Midwich Group, Keller Group, Bango, Domino's Pizza Group, Glenveagh Properties (CDI), Robert Walters, Fresnillo

Direct Line Insurance Group

Q3

Ashtead Group

AGMs

CareTech Holding, Driver Group, Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust, Redx Pharma

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Aberforth Split Level Income Trust

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

SLF Realisation Fund Limited NPV, SLF Realisation Fund Limited C Shs NPV

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Tetragon Financial Group Limited

Wednesday 9 March

FINALS

Foresight Solar Fund Limited, Quilter, 888 Holdings, Legal & General Group, Network International Holdings, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), Prudential, Ibstock, Breedon Group, Alfa Financial Software Holdings, Headlam Group

INTERIMS

Ashtead Group

AGMs

MTI Wireless Edge Ltd.

EGMs

MTI Wireless Edge Ltd.

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Hansard Global

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Retail sales

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

Thursday 9 March

FINALS

National Express Group, Spirent Communications, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Balfour Beatty, Hill & Smith Holdings, Secure Income Reit, Just Group

Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Savills

INTERIMS

Brooks Macdonald Group

Volution Group

AGMs

BMO Capital & Income Investment Trust

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Micro Focus International, Apax Global Alpha Limited, Athelney Trust, Law Debenture Corp., Independent Inv Trust, Chemring Group, CRH (CDI), Rio Tinto

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Ramsdens Holdings

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Tritax Big Box Reit, Alliance Trust, BMO Capital & Income Investment Trust, Renishaw, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Ltd, Ediston Property Investment Company, Persimmon, Galliford Try, BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, South32 Limited (DI), Temple Bar Inv Trust, London Finance & Investment Group, Triple Point Social Housing Reit, HSBC Holdings, Crown Place VCT, LondonMetric Property, Springfield Properties, PZ Cussons, JPMorgan Global Markets Emerging Income Trust, Puma Vct 13, Abrdn UK Smaller Companies Growth Trust, Ricardo, Evraz, SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust, JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust, BMO Real Estate Investments Limited

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

SSE, Bluefield Solar Income Fund Limited

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Independent Inv Trust, Rio Tinto

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Independent Inv Trust

Rio Tinto

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION COM STK USD0.20 (CDI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

Balance of Trade (07:00)

Industrial Production (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (07:00)

Index of Services (07:00)

Manufacturing Production (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANOUNCEMENTS

ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Friday 11 March

FINALS

SIG

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Berkeley Group Holdings (The)

AGMs

Myanmar Investments International Ltd, Hardide

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Russian Securities, Virgin Money UK, Gulf Investment Fund, Avon Protection

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Base Resources Ltd

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Russian Securities, Civitas Social Housing, Impact Healthcare Reit, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, I3 Energy, Aquila European, Renewables Income Fund (GBP), NB Global Monthly Income Fund Limited Red Ord Shs NPV £, Ecofin U.S. Renewables Infrastructure Trust, S&U, Ground Rents Income Fund, Ecofin U.S. Renewables Infrastructure Trust, Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Honeywell International Inc., Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

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