Friday preview: U.S. non-farm payrolls, Trainline in the spotlight

At 1230 GMT, the Department of Labor is expected to announce that the pace of hiring ebbed a little, from a very strong 303,000 in March to 243,000 in April.

Investors will also be scrutinising the latest wage growth figures and revisions to prior months' data - which are often large - for additional information regarding the underlying strength of the economy.

At 1400 GMT meanwhile the Institute for Supply Management will release its closely-followed services sector Purchasing Managers' Index for April.

Earlier, at 0800 GMT, S&P Global was scheduled to publish its own services PMIs for the euro area and UK.

At 1130 GMT, consultancy Challenger's tally of job cut announcements in the U.S. during the month of April were due out.

In company news, Trainline is among the corporate names that are due to update investors.

UBS analyst Ivar Billfalk-Kelly anticipates that the focus will be on the independent rail platform's guidance for fiscal year 2025.

He'd penciled-in 8% topline growth in UK consumer and a 10% rise in International, for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of £137m, against the £122m anticipated by the consensus.

"As we set out in a recent note, beyond the fundamentals investors are focused on the various potential policy implications linked to the UK general election expected later this year, including potential future changes to commission structures and third party retailers."

Friday 03 May

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

B.P. Marsh & Partners, Beazley, The European Smaller Companies Trust

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

CT UK High Income Trust, CT UK High Income Trust B , I3 Energy , Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)

ISM Services (US) (15:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)

PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)

PMI Composite (US) (14:45)

PMI Services (EU) (09:00)

PMI Services (GER) (08:55)

PMI Services (US) (14:45)

Unemployment Rate (EU) (10:00)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Trainline

AGMS

HSBC Holdings, InterContinental Hotels Group, Mondi, More Acquisitions

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

InterContinental Hotels Group, Mondi

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Composite (09:30)

PMI Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Anglo American, Glanbia (CDI), Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Pearson, SEGRO, Synectics