Week ahead: US Fed minutes, service sector PMIs in focus

With the latest monthly US jobs data now out of the way the focus will shift back towards central banks in the run-up to the Federal Reserve´s policy meeting on 27 April and the start of the US earnings season on 11 April.

Against that backdrop, the release of the minutes of the Fed´s meeting on March 15-16 would be closely scrutinised for any further possible understanding of the central bank´s thinking which might be gleaned from them.

The ISM´s service sector purchasing manager index on Wednesday would also be closely tracked given the importance in the current juncture of the US services sector in propping up the rest of the economy.

Indeed, much as in 2015, and as of 1 April, the Federal Reserve bank of Atlanta´s GDPnow model was pegging US GDP growth in the first quarter at just 0.7% in annualised terms, as the tight-oil sector - and related investment - continues to buckle under the threat of a renewed price falls.

Figures on US durable goods orders for February, which were scheduled for release on Monday, would also be closely tracked.

In the UK as well, the latest readings on the widely-followed Markit service sector PMI, on Tuesday, will help markets to gauge the near-term momentum in the economy.

Investors will be waiting on the latest house price figures from Halifax due out on Thursday and industrial output statistics the next day.

Monday 04 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
ECO Animal Health Group, MJ Gleeson , Stewart & Wight

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock North American Income Trust , XP Power Ltd. (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

FINALS
Belvoir Lettings, Christie Group, PJSC Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port GDR (Reg S)

AGMS
CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities Ltd GBP, Scottish American Inv Company, UK Oil & Gas Investments

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
AFH Financial Group , Greencore Group, Helical Bar, Quartix Holdings , Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI)

Tuesday 05 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Carclo, Digital Globe Services Ltd (DI), Hays, Numis Corporation, Thorpe (F.W.)

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Barclays

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
JP Morgan Chase & Co

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)
PMI Composite (US) (14:45)
PMI Services (EU) (09:00)
PMI Services (GER) (08:55)
PMI Services (US) (14:45)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

FINALS
AA , Card Factory, Hostelworld Group , Instem, Instem, Keywords Studios, Martinco , Moss Bros Group, Silence Therapeutics, Thalassa Holdings Ltd. (DI), Union Jack Oil

ANNUAL REPORT
Menzies(John)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Thorpe (F.W.)

AGMS
PJSC LSR Group GDR (REG S), Primary Health Properties

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Electrocomponents, International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Sales Monitor (00:01)
PMI Services (08:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Apax Global Alpha Limited , Computacenter, LondonMetric Property, Maintel Holdings, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Capital Shares, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares, Scottish American Inv Company

Wednesday 06 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Haynes Publishing Group, Park Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS
HSS Hire Group , ServicePower Technologies, Styles & Wood Group

EGMS
BH Global Ltd. GBP Shares

AGMS
Tower Resources

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Topps Tiles

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
Halifax House Price Index (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Electronic Data Processing

Thursday 07 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Alumasc Group, Diageo, Galliford Try, PZ Cussons, Renishaw, Ricardo, Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust, Wilmington

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Abbey, Animalcare Group, Begbies Traynor Group, Henderson EuroTrust, Marwyn Value Investors Limited, Photo-Me International, Produce Investments, St Ives, Tracsis, Volta Finance Limited

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Investors Capital Trust 'A' Shares, Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc., Primary Health Properties, SQN Asset Finance Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (08:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS
Alliance Pharma, Belgravium Technologies, NetScientific , PureTech Health , TyraTech Inc. (DI / REGS), Ubisense Group

IMSS
Dunelm Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hiscox Limited (DI)

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Headlam Group, JPMorgan Income & Capital Inv Trust, Lloyds Banking Group

AGMS
Glenwick, IPSA Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Marks & Spencer Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hiscox Limited (DI), Rio Tinto

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
4Imprint Group, Aberdeen UK Tracker Trust, Amiad Water Systems Ltd, Amino Technologies, Asian Total Return Investment Company, Aukett Swanke Group , Aviva, BBA Aviation, Berendsen, British Smaller Companies VCT 2, Charles Taylor, Chesnara, Entu (UK) , esure Group, Fevertree Drinks, Fisher (James) & Sons, Fyffes, GKN, HGCapital Trust, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, IDOX, IMI, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings, International Personal Finance, Lloyds Banking Group, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Melrose Industries, Mobeus Income & Growth 4 Vct, Murray International Trust, Pearson, Phoenix Group Holdings (DI), Rentokil Initial, Rexam, Rotork, Secure Trust Bank, St James's Place, Taylor Wimpey, Ultra Electronics Holdings, Vesuvius, Wood Group (John)

Friday 08 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
AdEPT Telecom, Clinigen Group, Foresight Solar & Infrastructure VCT, Foresight Solar & Infrastructure VCT , Hargreaves Services, JPMorgan Mid Cap Inv Trust, London Finance & Investment Group, Oxford Instruments

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BlackRock Income Strategies Trust , Schlumberger Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Jupiter Fund Management

EGMS
ROS Agro GDR REG S

AGMS
Apax Global Alpha Limited , Bank Audi S.A.L. GDR (Repr 1'Com'Shr Lbp1650)(Reg S), New World Resources A Shares

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (09:30)
Industrial Production (09:30)
Manufacturing Production (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Crest Nicholson Holdings, Driver Group, Jupiter Fund Management , RM, Safestore Holdings, Treatt