Thursday preview: EU Summit (Brexit) and MPC decision in focus

The market spotlight will continue to be firmly on all things Brexit on Thursday, as the European Union leaders' summit kicks-off in Strasbourg.

While impossible to predict what may or may not come out of the two days of meetings, where Prime Minister May will be in attendance, they will take place ahead of what appears to be shaping up to be the (possibly) key week in this first phase of the UK's withdrawal from the bloc.

Against that backdrop, investors will be reviewing the results of the prior night's policy decision by rate-setters at the US Federal Reserve, even as they wait on the results of the Monetary Policy Committee's own deliberations.

Earlier in the session, central banks in Norway and Switzerland are expected to announce their own decisions.

Stateside meanwhile, the key economic release is set to be the Philly Fed's regional manufacturing index for March.

Thursday 21 March

Finals

Cello Health, Loopup Group, Ted Baker, Portmeirion Group, Sportech, Lamprell, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings

EnQuest, Venture Life Group, Next, Sopheon

Interims

Spitfire Oil Ltd. (DI), Xaar, Kier Group

Trading announcements

Mitie Group

AGMs

Chemring Group, Beazley, Spitfire Oil Ltd. (DI), LPA Group

Final Dividend Payment Date

Treatt

Interim Ex-Dividend Date

Close Brothers Group, Haynes Publishing Group, River and Mercantile Group

BMO Managed Portfolio Trust Income Shares, NWF Group, Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust Ltd.

Brooks Macdonald Group, JPMorgan Global Markets Emerging Income Trust, Concurrent Technologies, F&C Commercial Property Trust Ltd., Ground Rents Income Fund, Palace Capital, Clinigen Group, Croma Security Solutions Group, BlackRock Commodities Income Inv Trust, ICG-Longbow Senior Secured UK Property Debt Investments Ltd, Plexus Holdings, Interim Dividend Payment Date

Interim Dividend Payment Date

Springfield Properties, Witan Inv Trust, JPMorgan Elect Managed Growth Shares, JPMorgan Elect Managed Income Shares

Special Ex-Dividend Date

River and Mercantile Group

Royal Bank of Scotland Group

Special Dividend Payment Date

LXB Retail Properties

Quarterly Ex-Dividend Date

XP Power Ltd. (DI), BlackRock World Mining Trust, Standard Life Private Equity Trust, British American Tobacco

UK Economic Announcements

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

International Economic Announcements

Current Account (US) (12:30), Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30), Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (12:30), Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)