Week ahead: War in Ukraine, Federal Reserve in focus
The market spotlight over the coming week will remain over the conflict in Ukraine with Russian forces expected to soon launch an offensive even as calls for Europe to reduce its dependence on Russian energy grow louder.
Against that backdrop, on Thursday, US Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell will speak on a panel during the IMF and World Bank spring meetings.
As an aside, the Fed Beige Book will be published on Wednesday.
On home shores, the coming week's economic data will be back-end loaded, with retail sales data for March and survey results for consumer confidence, and factory and services sector activity all due out.
For the former, CMC Markets UK's Michael Hewson said the picture was looking equally as "challenging" as during the previous month, given consumer confidence was at its lowest ebb since November 2020.
Across the Channel, euro area factory and services sector surveys for April are also due out from S&P Global on Friday.
In Asia, an estimate on Chinese first quarter gross domestic product growth is scheduled for Monday, alongside readings on fixed asset investment, industrial production and retail sales covering the month of March.
Rate-setters in Indonesia and China will also meet during the week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Monday 18 April
AGMS
Grupo Clarin SA GDR (Reg S), Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI)
Tuesday 19 April
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust, National Westminster 9%pf
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Building Permits (US) (13:30)
Housing Starts (US) (13:30)
FINALS
JTC
AGMS
Anglo American, Blue Star Capital, GreenRoc Mining, Herald Investment Trust
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
IntegraFin Holding, Kainos Group
Q1
PJSC Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works GDR (Reg S)
Wednesday 20 April
INTERIMS
Carr's Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ince Group (The)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)
Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
GMS
Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)
FINALS
Oxford Biomedica, Wood Group (John)
EGMS
Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Biome Technologies, Biome Technologies, Bunzl, Hunting, SThree, Synectics
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Antofagasta, Bunzl, Naked Wines, Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI), Rio Tinto
Q1
Centamin (DI)
Thursday 21 April
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Finsbury Food Group, Hansard Global, JPMorgan Mid Cap Inv Trust
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Provident Financial, SCS Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
JpMorgan China Growth & Income , M Winkworth, Supermarket Income Reit
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)
FINALS
Bonhill Group, Churchill China, Churchill China, LBG Media , Safestyle UK , Serica Energy
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Rio Tinto
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Gemfields Group Limited
EGMS
Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares
AGMS
Alliance Trust, Honye Financial Services Limited (DI), Ibstock , Journeo , Journeo , Relx plc, Senior, STV Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
AJ Bell, BHP Group Limited NPV (DI), DP Poland, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Meggitt, PensionBee Group , Relx plc, Rentokil Initial, SEGRO, XPS Pensions Group
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Micro Focus International, Rio Tinto
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Antofagasta, BAE Systems, Bodycote, Breedon Group , Cairn Homes (CDI), Essentra, Eurocell , FBD Holdings (CDI), Genuit Group, Gresham Technologies, Highcroft Investment, Hunting, JPMorgan American Inv Trust, Jupiter Fund Management , Just Group, Legal & General Group, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Portmeirion Group, Rathbone Group, Robert Walters, RPS Group, Secure Trust Bank, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Tclarke , Uniphar (CDI), Vitec Group, Weir Group, Wickes Group
Q1
Antofagasta
Friday 22 April
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bioventix, Henderson EuroTrust
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Abrdn Private Equity Opportunities Trust
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Current Account (EU) (09:00)
FINALS
Zinc Media Group
ANNUAL REPORT
Robinson
AGMS
Bellevue Healthcare Trust (Red), Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI), Murray International Trust
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Record
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)
Retail Sales (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aferian, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI)
Q1
Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S)