Week ahead: Elections and US non-farm payrolls in focus
Without out a doubt next week’s main event, both at home and abroad, will be the result of the UK elections, given the current debate regarding the future of Britain within the European Union and the country’s weight geopolitically.
The result of the electoral contest remains too close to call with just under a week to go, with a coalition or minority Conservative or Labour government thought to be the most likely outcomes. The uncertainty which may unfold after the elections could well weigh on economic activity domestically.
Some observers believe that a re-run of the elections is a real possibility.
The above aside, the US non-farm payrolls report on Friday will be the most closely watched piece of economic data. Markets will be anxious to avoid a repeat of March’s surprisingly weak reading on the state of the US labour market.
Final readings on the Eurozone’s manufacturing and service sector purchasing managers’ indices (PMI), courtesy of Markit, which are scheduled for release on Monday and Wednesday, will also be closely monitored.
Monday 4 May
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
Goods Orders (US) (15:00)
PMI Manufacturing (EU) (09:00)
PMI Manufacturing (GER) (08:55)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
GMS
Argos Resources Ltd. (DI)
FINALS
DDD Group
AGMS
PJSC Magnit GDR (REG S)
Tuesday 5 May
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
ISM Services (US) (15:00)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
GMS
Bioquell
EGMS
JSC Kazkommertsbank GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
BG Group, Burford Capital , DP Poland, GVC Holdings, Henderson High Income Trust, Macfarlane Group, Nokia OYJ, Randgold Resources Ltd., Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) 'B' (Reg S), Spirent Communications, Stratex International
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Greene King
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Nichols
Wednesday 6 May
INTERIMS
Sage Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British Land Company
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)
PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)
PMI Services (EU) (09:00)
PMI Services (GER) (08:55)
Productivity (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
Boohoo.com, Boohoo.com, Sainsbury (J), Summit Therapeutics
IMSS
Catlin Group Ltd., CRH, Direct Line Insurance Group, Legal & General Group
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
GVC Holdings
AGMS
Amerisur Resources, Bank of America Corp., Cloudtag Inc, Costain Group, Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), Deltex Medical Group, Gulf Marine Services, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Howden Joinery Group, Inmarsat, Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Medaphor Group, Mobeus Income & Growth Vct, National Express Group, Norish Units, Norsk Hydro ASA, Serco Group, Standard Chartered, The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, Tullett Prebon
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Intu Properties
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
Official Reserves (09:30)
PMI Composite (09:30)
PMI Services (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, First Quantum Minerals Ltd., GVC Holdings, Hellermanntyton Group, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting), Smith & Nephew, Ultra Electronics Holdings
Q1
GlaxoSmithKline, Komercni Banka A.S.GDR (Level 1)
Thursday 7 May
INTERIMS
Imperial Tobacco Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Animalcare Group
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
AB Dynamics, James Halstead, Lok'n Store Group, Smart (J) & Co.
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Barclays, BP, Custodian Reit , IBM Corp.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (GER) (11:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
PMI Construction (GER) (08:30)
PMI Retail (EU) (09:10)
PMI Retail (GER) (09:10)
Q4
BT Group, Stewart & Wight
GMS
Johnson Service Group
FINALS
BT Group, Stewart & Wight
IMSS
Beazley, esure Group, Friends Life Group Limited , IMI, Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate , Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, RSA Insurance Group
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Admiral Group, Octopus AIM VCT 2
AGMS
Aberdeen Asian Income Fund Ltd., Alent, BAE Systems, BrainJuicer Group, Charles Taylor, Communisis, CRH, Fevertree Drinks, First Quantum Minerals Ltd., GKN, GlaxoSmithKline, Glencore , Gresham Computing, Hexaware Technologies Ltd. GDS (Reg S), IMI, Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), Kaz Minerals , Ladbrokes, Martinco , Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Morgan Sindall Group, Oxford Biomedica, Provident Financial, Reckitt Benckiser Group, Rightmove, Sorbic International, Trinity Mirror, William Hill, X5 Retail Group NV GDR (Reg S)
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Telecity Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Car Registrations (09:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
British American Tobacco, Countrywide, Fyffes, LSL Property Services
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Acacia Mining, Admiral Group, Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Barr (A.G.), British Smaller Companies VCT 2, Centaur Media, Derwent London, Dunedin Income Growth Inv Trust, EP Global Opportunities Trust, G4S, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), H&T Group, Henderson Group, Highcroft Investment, IFG Group, London Stock Exchange Group, Lookers, Macfarlane Group, Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Morgan Advanced Materials , Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , North American Income Trust (The), Ocean Wilsons Holdings Ltd., Octopus AIM VCT 2, Partnership Assurance Group , Playtech, Polypipe Group , Rightmove, SafeCharge International Group Limited (DI), SimiGon Ltd. (DI), Trinity Mirror
Q1
Bankers Petroleum Ltd.(CDI), Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Sampo OYJ, TBC Bank Joint Stock Company GDR (REGS)
Friday 8 May
INTERIMS
Numis Corporation
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Begbies Traynor Group, Chrysalis VCT, Edge Performance VCT 'H' Shares, Nimrod Sea Assets Limited, St Ives, Tracsis
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Industrial Production (GER) (11:00)
Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)
Retail Price Index (GER) (09:00)
Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)
IMSS
Laird, Pendragon
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Chrysalis VCT
AGMS
Afarak Group (DI), BBA Aviation, China Chaintek United Co. Limited, Clarke (T.), Clarkson, John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd, Kea Petroleum, Laird, Man Group, Morgan Advanced Materials , Pendragon, Rolls-Royce Holdings, RSA Insurance Group, Starwood European Real Estate Finance Ltd
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Berendsen, BlackRock World Mining Trust, Capital Drilling Ltd. (DI), Chemring Group, Fisher (James) & Sons, Greggs, International Personal Finance, Meggitt, Moneysupermarket.com Group, SEGRO, Smurfit Kappa Group, Spirent Communications, XLMedia
Q1
Afarak Group (DI), BG Group, InterContinental Hotels Group