Thursday preview: ECB, Bodycote in focus

Some economists however anticipate that asset purchases will have to wait until April.

In the background meanwhile, investors will be monitoring the news out of Capitol Hill for any headlines regarding economic support measures in the States to help limit the impact of the coronavirus.

Initial weekly jobless claims figures will also merit close watching going forward for potential signs that companies are laying off workers and - possibly - of the initial hit to the economy.

On home shores, just after midnight, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors is due to publish its house price balance for the month of February.

Bodycote and Computacenter are among the corporate names that are due to update financial markets on Thursday.

For the former, UBS analyst Celine Fornaro expects a 1.3% decline in full-year sales to £719m, with those from Aerospace, Defence and Energy seen at £299m and Automotive & General Industrial revenues at £420m.

Group earnings before interest and taxes at the heat treatment specialist meanwhile were pegged at £134m.

For IT infrastructure services outfit Computacenter, UBS anticipates full-year profits before tax coming in at £143m, which would be at the upper end of the company's own guidance range.

At the time of ts last trading update, the firm also guided towards 16% jump in sales.

Thursday March 12

INTERIMS

Brooks Macdonald Group, Galliford Try, Go-Ahead Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

TheWorks.Co.Uk

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Adept Technology Group, Beeks Financial Cloud Group, Colefax Group, Hansard Global, JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust, London Finance & Investment Group, Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, Ricardo, Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust, Trifast, Triple Point Income VCT C, Triple Point Income VCT D, Triple Point Income VCT E

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Assura , Land Securities Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (GER) (08:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)

ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)

Producer Price Index (US) (12:30)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Arrow Global Group, Computacenter, G4S, Helios Towers , Keller Group, Marshalls, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Savills, Secure Income Reit , Tullow Oil, Valeura Energy Inc NPV (DI)

AGMS

Benchmark Holdings , Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Anglo American, Apax Global Alpha Limited , CRH, Glanbia, GVC Holdings, Jupiter Fund Management , Law Debenture Corp., Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares, RM, Spirent Communications, Stand.Ch.7te%pr, Standard Chartered 8 1/4% Non-Cum Irrd Pref