Friday preview: US non-farm payrolls, IAG in the spotlight

Economists have forecast an increase of 950,000 after March's gain of 916,000, with the rate of unemployment expected to fall from 6.0% to 5.8%.

Also with the potential to move markets, overnight China's customs administration will publish foreign trade for April.

On home shores, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation will release its Staff Placements and Salaries indices for April right after midnight.

IHS Markit meanwhile is due to publish its Construction sector Purchasing Managers Index for April at 0930 BST.

Across the Channel, European Central Bank chief, Christine Lagarde, will participate in a discussion at The State of the Union 2021 event organised by the European University Institute in Florence.

Investors will also be waiting on industrial production figures out of France, Germany and Spain for March, from 0700 BST onwards.

On the corporate side of things, the market spotlight will be on IAG as it unveils its first quarter financials.

But investors' focus is likely to be more on the outlook for trans-Atlantic travel and long-haul routes in general, which is where most big carriers make their money.

Uncertainty regarding a resumption of long-haul remains "uncertain", according to Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, which goes a long way to explaining why IAG has opted not to provide much guidance yet.

Nevertheless, there has been talk of late that a travel corridor could be opened with the US, where vaccination rates are running at a similar pace.

"This would be most welcome, and a boost for Q2, at a time when the long-haul market may take longer to resume than the short haul market."

Friday 07 May

INTERIMS

Numis Corporation

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Begbies Traynor Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

BMO UK High Income Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

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

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Current Account (GER) (07:00)

Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

GMS

Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

BMO UK High Income Trust B Shares

EGMS

Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Convatec Group , Holders Technology, InterContinental Hotels Group, Man Group, Rightmove, Schroder Asian Total Return Investment Company , The Barkby Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

InterContinental Hotels Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Anglo American, Fintel, Glanbia (CDI), Kingspan Group (CDI), Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Pearson, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI)