Week ahead: Federal Reserve, US Q1 GDP in focus
The market spotlight over the coming week will be on the Federal Reserve as central bankers in the US meet to decide on policy on Wednesday.
Some investors are particularly sensitive at the moment to any new insights on the policy outlook, given the possibility that a pick up in economic growth and supply constraints could push inflation noticeably higher, even if only in the near term.
Policymakers at the Fed have up until now been stressing that there is in fact still a very large amount of slack in the economy, not least in the labour market.
The next day, the US Commerce Department will release a preliminary reading on first quarter gross domestic growth, which is expected to reveal an acceleration from the annualised 4.3% clip observed in the last three months of 2020 to 6.5%.
Results from two key manufacturing sector survey results in the People's Republic of China are scheduled for release as well, on Friday, and could easily move markets.
Across the Channel, markets are likely to focus on the German IFO institute's business confidence index, due out on Monday, and the latest German unemployment figures which are scheduled for release on Thursday.
Other key risk events to watch for include the Bank of Japan's policy meeting, on Tuesday, and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries ministerial meeting on Wednesday.
Monday 26 April
INTERIMS
Lok'n Store Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
General Electric Co (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
FINALS
United Oil & Gas , GYG
AGMS
Hostelworld Group , JPMorgan US Smaller Co. Inv Tst, Polymetal International
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lenta International Public Joint-Stock Company GDR (144A)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hikma Pharmaceuticals
Tuesday 27 April
INTERIMS
Egdon Resources, Focusrite
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)
GDP (Preliminary) (US) (13:30)
Housing Starts (US) (14:00)
Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
Anexo Group , Gaming Realms, Inspiration Healthcare Group , Nostrum Oil & Gas , Xaar, XLMedia
AGMS
Aquis Exchange , Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S), Travis Perkins, Tribal Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Vivo Energy
Q1
BP
Wednesday 28 April
INTERIMS
AB Dynamics, Home Reit
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Close Brothers Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
GMS
Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), G4S, Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)
FINALS
Brave Bison Group, French Connection Group, Heiq, LSL Property Services, Pennant International Group, Property Franchise Group, Sainsbury (J), Tissue Regenix Group, Warpaint London
IMSS
Lloyds Banking Group
EGMS
Eurasia Mining, Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Aberdeen Smaller Companies Income Trust, British American Tobacco, CPP Group, FDM Group (Holdings), Fintel, Global Invacom Group Limited (DI), Grafton Group Ut (CDI), Greencoat UK Wind, Hutchison China Meditech Ltd, KRM22, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Landshypotek Bank AB 4.59% Nts 17/11/21, London Stock Exchange Group, MHP SE GDR (Reg S), Mobius Investment Trust , NATWEST GROUP PLC ORD 100P, Nichols, Pendragon, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD), Persimmon, Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust, Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust, RPS Group, Smithson Investment Trust, Spirent Communications, Witan Inv Trust
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
1Spatial, Persimmon
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
XP Power Ltd. (DI)
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Meikles Ltd.
Q1
GlaxoSmithKline
Thursday 29 April
INTERIMS
C4X Discovery Holdings , Proactis Holdings, WH Smith
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
HSBC Holdings
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Northamber, Royal Bank of Scotland 11% Cum. Prf, Royal Bank of Scotland 5.5% Cum. Prf., Seneca Growth Capital Vct B
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock North American Income Trust
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
City of London Inv Trust, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, SME Credit Realisation Fund Limited NPV, Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited NPV
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Services Sentiment (EU) (10:00)
Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)
FINALS
Angle, RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV, Shield Therapeutics, Woodbois Limited, Xeros Technology Group
ANNUAL REPORT
Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S), Mail.ru Group Ltd GDR (Reg S), RTW Venture Fund Limited NPV, Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Invesco Enhanced Income Limited, John Laing Group
AGMS
Allianz Technology Trust, BlackRock World Mining Trust, CRH (CDI), Dalata Hotel Group (CDI), Devro, Flutter Entertainment (CDI), Glencore , Globaltrans Investment GDR (Reg S), Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Hawkwing, International Personal Finance, ITV, Kaz Minerals , Kaz Minerals , Kerry Group 'A' Shares (CDI), Meggitt, Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), Octopus AIM VCT 2, PJSC LSR Group GDR (REG S), Schroders, STV Group, Synthomer, Weir Group, Yamana Gold Inc. NPV (CDI)
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Convatec Group , Evraz, Flutter Entertainment (CDI), Howden Joinery Group, Inchcape, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Meggitt, Schroders, Smith & Nephew, Unilever
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
CLS Holdings, Smart Metering Systems
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
AVI Japan Opportunity Trust , Banco Santander S.A., Central Asia Metals, Coats Group, Derwent London, Henry Boot, HGCapital Trust, John Laing Group , London Stock Exchange Group, Morgan Advanced Materials , Morgan Sindall Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , Octopus AIM VCT 2, Porvair, Relx plc, Rightmove, Sanne Group, Total Produce (CDI), TT Electronics
Q1
Indivior, NATWEST GROUP PLC ORD 100P, Nokia OYJ, Nokia OYJ, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B'
Friday 30 April
INTERIMS
Infrastrata, Up Global Sourcing Holdings
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Heavitree Brewery 11 1/2% Cum Prf , Origin Enterprises (CDI), Tristel
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, BMO Private Equity Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV, Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Real Estate Investors, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited , Value and Indexed Property Income Trust
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)
Import Price Index (GER) (08:00)
Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)
Personal Income (US) (13:30)
Personal Spending (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
GMS
Elixirr International
FINALS
Westminster Group
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Quartix Holdings , Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), Spirent Communications
EGMS
Tremor International LTD (DI)
AGMS
Admiral Group, BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. NPV (DI), Grupo Clarin SA GDR (Reg S), Kingspan Group (CDI), Minoan Group, Pearson, Rotork, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI), Supply@Me Capital , Symphony International Holdings Ltd.
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BB Healthcare Trust (Red), Nippon Active Value Fund , Quartix Holdings , RM, Shanta Gold Ltd., Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), Spirent Communications, Sureserve Group, Wynnstay Group
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Seplat Petroleum Development Company (DI)
Q1
AstraZeneca, Barclays