The market spotlight on Thursday will fall on the minutes of the European Central Bank’s 10 March policy meeting.
According to Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, the minutes may well offer insights as to the degree of concern in the governing council that the ECB might be falling behind the curve.
At its last policy meeting, the council surprised markets with a hawkish pivot, signalling that it would taper its asset purchases steadily over the summer.
“This hawkish pivot merely serves to underline what a bind the European Central Bank finds itself in. We’ve subsequently seen government bond yields push higher across the bloc, however it’s difficult to really see what else the ECB can do at this point.
“[…] Recent comments from a number of ECB policymakers suggest there is rising concern that the ECB is behind the curve and this week’s minutes could well offer insights as to how significant this concern is.”
Against that backdrop, at 0700 GMT, mortgage lender Halifax will publish its UK house price survey data for March.
Stateside, investors will likely be parsing remarks from Federal Reserve Bank of St.Louis President, James Bullard, from Atlanta Fed boss Raphael Bostic and from Chicago Fed chief Charles Evans.
Any remarks from these three top central bank officials will be coming in the wake of the release of the minutes of the Fed’s most recent policy deliberations on 16 March.
Thursday 6 April
FINALS
Attraqt Group
INTERIMS
Tracsis
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Parity Group
AGMs
Polar Capital Global Financials Trust, AFC Energy, RM, Law Debenture Corp.
EGMs
Lekoil Ltd (DI)
ANNUAL REPORT
Menzies(John)
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Rotork, Personal Group Holdings
Chesnara, Direct Line Insurance Group, Scotgems, Lloyds Banking Group, TP Icap Group, Rentokil Initial, Vistry Group, Aferian, Quilter, Kerry Group ‘A’ Shares (CDI), FEVERTREE DRINKS, Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust, Savills, Grafton Group Ut (CDI), Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI), Man Group, Melrose Industries, Abrdn, Mondi, F&C Investment Trust, Harbour Energy, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), International Personal Finance, Kitwave Group, IMI, Synectics, Domino’s Pizza Group, Capital Limited (DI), Luceco, Aviva
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Safestore Holdings
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Henderson EuroTrust, Kings Arms Yard VCT, International Public Partnerships Ltd., Smith (DS), Schroder Income Growth Fund, Chelverton UK Dividend Trust, Bioventix, Invesco Asia Trust, abrdn Smaller Companies Income Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, Smiths Group, Shires Income, VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd., Begbies Traynor Group, US Solar Fund, Barratt Developments, Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust, Tristel, DFS Furniture, US Solar Fund (GBP), European Assets Trust, Northamber, Savills, Nippon Active Value Fund, Troy Income & Growth Trust, Softcat, Murray International Trust, Henderson High Income Trust, Diageo, PZ Cussons, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. NPV (DI), South32 Limited (DI)
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
DFS Furniture, Savills, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI)
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Real Estate Investors, Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV, BMO Private Equity Trust, BMO UK High Income Trust, BMO UK High Income Trust B Shares
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.NPV (CDI), GlaxoSmithKline, Land Securities Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halifax House Price Index (07:00)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
