Friday preview: Services sector surveys in the spotlight around the globe

The focus at the end of the week will be on a raft of services sector surveys due out around the world, including in the UK, US and euro area.

In particular, investors will be watching out for the US Institute of Supply Management's Purchasing Managers' Index, which may easily surprise to the downside.

Consensus is expecting a dip from February's reading of 51.3 to 48.9 for March.

To take note of, typically, the first Friday of the month tends to revolve around the monthly US non-farm payrolls report - but not this time.

The sudden surge in weekly jobless claims since the March survey week means that the report is likely to show but a small 81,000 person drop in hiring, alongside a three tenths of a percentage point increase in the rate of unemployment to 3.8%.

But according to Ian Shepherdson at Pantheon Macroeconomics, March non farms will be "irrelevant", with the real rate of unemployment likely already running at about 9.5% as of 28 March and likely at about 12.5% as of Friday.

Friday 03 April

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Grit Real Estate Income Group Limited NPV (DI), London Finance & Investment Group, Pennon Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Brunner Inv Trust

AGMS

Leeds Building Society 13 3/8% Bearing Shares, McColl's Retail Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

CMC Markets

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Apax Global Alpha Limited , Barclays, MTI Wireless Edge Ltd., Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares