Wednesday preview: UK Parliamentt, US-China trade talks in the spotlight

The focus will continue to be firmly on the UK Parliament come Wednesday, with the House of Commons said to cast indicative votes on a slate of alternative plans for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union and to approve postponing the 29 March deadline for Britain to leave.

In the background meanwhile, America's Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, and US Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, are set to arrive in Beijing for the latest round of trade talks with China.

Against that backdrop, at 1100 GMT the Confederation of British Industry is set to publish the result of its Distributive Trades survey covering the month of March.

Stateside meanwhile, the data calendar is quite light, with the main release of the session set to be foreign trade numbers for January.

On the corporate side of things, Hilton Foods is set to publish an 18% jump in full-year operating profits to £46.0m, for earnings per share of 40.6p, according to analysts.

According to Damian McNeela at Numis, the food packaging firm will post a 21% increase in sales to £1.644bn, helped by its Seachill arm and underlying growth in its core markets of the UK and Ireland, alongside group operating margins of 2.8% for an adjusted dividend per share of 21p, or 11% more than the previous year's payout.

Against that backdrop, investor focus will be on the company's investment in Brisbane, Australia, Seachill's performance and an update on further growth opportunities.

Homebuilder Bellway is also due to update markets, with analyst Miguel Borrega at UBS penciling-in first half operating profits of £320m with a margin of 21.6% and the interim dividend seen at 50p.

For the back half of 2019, Borrega anticipates the company will maintain guidance for volume growth of 5% with an average selling price of at least £290,000 and operating margins of 21.5%.

Wednesday March 27

INTERIMS

Bellway

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (US) (12:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (14:30)

Current Account (US) (12:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (11:00)

FINALS

Churchill China, Hilton Food Group, Inspired Energy, M&C Saatchi, RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI), Touchstone Exploration Inc NPV (DI)

EGMS

Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Amino Technologies, Premier Veterinary Group , RM

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Arden Partners, Lancashire Holdings Limited