Week ahead: US inflation data, bank earnings in focus

Financial markets' focus over the coming week will be on key inflation readings due out in the US and the start of the corporate earnings season on Wall Street.

On Wednesday, the US Department of Labor was expected to report that consumer price growth halved in month-on-month terms to 0.2% during March.

The annual rate of increase in the country's consumer price index was therefore seen retreating from 6.0% in February to 5.2%.

At the core level on the other hand, CPI was seen ticking up by one tenth of a percentage point to 5.6%.

US producer price data would follow the next day.

Come Friday, Citigroup, J.P.Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo would release their latest quarterly earnings, in effect kicking off the US results season.

Investors would likely be trying to glean insights on the outlook for lending conditions at the macro level in the wake of the recent banking crisis.

The start of the week would also see a flurry of Fed Speakers take to the podium.

Inflation would also be at the top of the agenda in the People's Republic of China and across the Channel.

Chinese CPI an factory gate price figures were scheduled for release on Tuesday, with German, French and Spanish CPI numbers due out on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Foreign trade data out of China were likely to also be closely monitored with the latest readings for imports possibly drawing attention as a gauge for the domestic demand recovery in the Asian giant.

On home shores, the Office for National Statistics would release gross domestic product data for February on Thursday with Bank of England chief economist, Phil Huw, due to take to the podium later that same day.

Rate-setters at the Bank of Korea would announce their latest policy decision on Tuesday, followed by their peers at the Bank of Canada on Wednesday.

Monday 10 April

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

AGMS

Joint Stock Company Kaspi.Kz GDR (Reg S)

Tuesday 11 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Dunelm Group, Hays, Renishaw, Ricardo, Tristel

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

GMS

Aeorema Communications

FINALS

Devolver Digital, Inc. (DI) Reg S Cat 3/144A, JTC

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Dunelm Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Sales Monitor (00:01)

Wednesday 12 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Colefax Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Assura , Duke Royalty Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Budget Statement (US) (19:00)

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS

Argentex Group , Crimson Tide, DP Eurasia N.V. (DI) , Everyman Media Group , LBG Media

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

System1 Group

Thursday 13 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Diageo, Trifast

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

DFS Furniture, Manchester & London Investment Trust, Softcat

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

GSK

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income, JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (US) (12:30)

FINALS

Churchill China, Destiny Pharma , Tesco

ANNUAL REPORT

Harworth Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alfa Financial Software Holdings

AGMS

Abrdn China Investment Company Limited

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (07:00)

Index of Services (07:00)

Industrial Production (07:00)

Manufacturing Production (07:00)

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Driver Group, Law Debenture Corp., Scottish American Inv Company

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alpha Group International, Capital & Regional, Capital Limited (DI), Carr's Group, Foxtons Group , Franchise Brands, Grafton Group Ut (CDI), Harbour Energy , Investec Investment Trust 5% Cumulative Preference Stock 1, ITV, Johnson Service Group, Just Group, Kenmare Resources (CDI), Kerry Group 'A' Shares (CDI), Kingspan Group (CDI), Lloyds Banking Group, National Express Group, Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI), Persimmon, Rotork, Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI), STV Group, TP Icap Group , Unite Group

Friday 14 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Abrdn UK Smaller Companies Growth Trust, Craneware, Galliford Try

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Inventories (US) (15:00)

Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Industrial Production (US) (14:15)

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales Less Autos (US) (13:30)

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

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

888 Holdings (DI), AO World, Flowtech Fluidpower, Lifesafe Holdings

AGMS

Zenith Energy LTD.Com Shs NPV (DI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

888 Holdings (DI), CMC Markets, Hays

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Chemring Group, IDOX