Tuesday preview: US house price surveys, Ocado in the spotlight

According to Barclays Research, the Federal Housing Finance Agency's home price index would reveal a slowdown in the rate of price gains from 8.1% in November to 6.1% for December.

Also due out was the regional Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index for February and the Conference Board's consumer confidence index covering that same month.

Across the Channel meanwhile, a smattering of economic reports are due out including a first look at consumer price figures in France, Portugal and Spain and final readings for fourth quarter gross domestic product in Belgium, Finland, France, and Portugal.

On home shores, just after midnight Lloyds was scheduled to release its business barometer for the month of February.

Further afield, in Japan, the country's Ministry of Economics will publish industrial production figures covering the month of January.

On the corporate side of things, Ocado would release its full-year results.

The online grocer was expected to report a 3.8% decline in full-year sales to reach £2.2bn due to a fall in basket volumes.

In its last trading update the company had said it was on track to break even in terms of its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation for the full fiscal year.

Yet despite its growing market share, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets thought it was clear that its margins would remain under pressure as a result of the extremely competitive groceries market.

Tuesday 28 February

INTERIMS

Bluefield Solar Income Fund Limited, Mcbride

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

B.P. Marsh & Partners, City of London 4.2% Cum 1st Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust 4.2% Non-Cum 2nd Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust Preference Ord Stk 14% Non-Cumulative 1, NB Private Equity Partners Ltd.

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

City of London Inv Trust, Custodian Property Income Reit, Picton Property Income Ltd

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)

Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)

House Price Index (US) (14:00)

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

GMS

Reabold Resources

FINALS

Abrdn , Croda International, Derwent London, HUTCHMED (China) Limited, Intertek Group, Kitwave Group, Man Group, Morgan Advanced Materials , Ocado Group, Rotork, Serco Group, Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S), St James's Place, Travis Perkins, Uniphar (CDI), Unite Group, Videndum , XP Power Ltd. (DI)

EGMS

Hambro Perks Acquisition Company Limited CLS A ORD NPV, Ncondezi Energy Limited (DI)

AGMS

Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust , Newmark Security PLC, Velocity Composites , Watkin Jones

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Softline Holding GDR (REG S)