Week ahead: Bank of England, US non-farm payrolls in focus
The Bank of England will be front and centre on investors' minds when they meet to decide on policy on Thursday.
As Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, pointed out, the macroeconomic outlook could hardly be more different.
Instead of talk about the need for negative interest rates, there is now the "prospect of some early discussion about the prospect of the bank becoming less accommodative over concerns that current policy might be a little too easy."
"No changes to monetary policy are expected, but we could start to see some taper talk.
"The recent pause in 10 year gilt yields is likely to have prompted a sigh of relief, however given the improvements that might be seen in the data in the coming months we might see some early discussions about reining back on the bond buying program in the form of modest tapering."
Against that backdrop, the next day the US Department of Labor will publish its April non-farm payrolls report.
As an aside, there has been some market commentary of late to the effect that some Americans are opting to forego looking for work temporarily given the prospect of further government aid.
Across the Channel, retail sales and industrial production figures in Germany, on Monday and Friday, respectively, will give a better idea of how the euro area's biggest economy fared during the first quarter.
In China, a Purchasing Managers Index for the Asian giant's services sector is due for release on Thursday, followed by a reading on foreign trade come Friday.
Down Under, rate-setters in Sydney are due to meet to decide on policy on Tuesday.
Monday 03 May
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Tetragon Financial Group Limited
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Auto Sales (US) (20:30)
Construction Spending (US) (15:00)
ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)
PMI Manufacturing (GER) (08:55)
PMI Manufacturing (EU) (09:00)
PMI Manufacturing (US) (14:45)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
Tuesday 04 May
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Manchester & London Investment Trust, Smith (DS), VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd., Volution Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Yew Grove Reit (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
GMS
Jarvis Securities
FINALS
Camellia, Camellia, Frenkel Topping Group, Microsaic Systems
ANNUAL REPORT
Tekcapital
AGMS
Apax Global Alpha Limited , Hammerson, Plus500 Ltd (DI)
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (09:30)
M4 Money Supply (09:30)
Mortgage Approvals (09:30)
PMI Manufacturing (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Banco Santander S.A., Capital Limited (DI), Domino's Pizza Group, NATWEST GROUP PLC ORD 100P, SEGRO
Wednesday 05 May
INTERIMS
Cambria Automobiles, Smiths News , Virgin Money UK
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
NWF Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)
ISM Services (US) (15:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)
PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)
PMI Composite (US) (14:45)
PMI Services (EU) (09:00)
PMI Services (GER) (08:55)
PMI Services (US) (14:45)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
WANdisco
EGMS
Phoenix Spree Deutschland Limited Shs NPV
AGMS
Alpha Fx Group , Anglo American, Barclays, Clarkson, GlaxoSmithKline, Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (CDI), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Johnson Service Group, MPAC Group, Personal Group Holdings, Proteome Sciences, Tclarke , Ten Entertainment Group , The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, TOC Property Backed Lending Trust, Tritax Big Box Reit , Unilever
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Direct Line Insurance Group, Smith & Nephew
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
CareTech Holding, CRH (CDI), Grafton Group Ut (CDI)
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
EP Global Opportunities Trust
Q1
Amryt Pharma
Thursday 06 May
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
AB Dynamics, BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, James Halstead, Lok'n Store Group, Smart (J) & Co.
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BlackRock World Mining Trust
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BP, Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)
GMS
Clear Leisure
FINALS
Trainline
EGMS
Amiad Water Systems Ltd, SDIC Power Holdings Co.,Ltd GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
AIB Group (CDI), Avast, Aviva, BAE Systems, Costain Group, Elecosoft Public Limited Company, EMIS Group, Genel Energy, Getbusy, Glanbia (CDI), Howden Joinery Group, IMI, Indivior, Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), John Laing Group , Jupiter Fund Management , Jupiter Fund Management , Melrose Industries, Mincon Group (CDI), Mondi, Morgan Advanced Materials , Morgan Sindall Group, Quixant, Rathbone Brothers, Reach, Scotgems, Transgloble Energy Corporation NPV (DI), Vitec Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
AIB Group (CDI), Barratt Developments, Derwent London, Equiniti Group , Hansard Global, Mondi
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)
PMI Services (09:30)
RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Nichols, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting)
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Admiral Group, Aptitude Software Group , Croda International, Curtis Banks Group, Gresham House, Harworth Group, Headlam Group, Hochschild Mining, Lancashire Holdings Limited, LLoyds Banking Group 9.25% Non-Cum Irredeemable Pref Shares, LLoyds Banking Group 9.75% Non-Cum Irredeemable Pref Shares, North American Income Trust (The), Ormonde Mining (CDI), Polymetal International, Reckitt Benckiser Group, Robert Walters, SThree, Strix Group , Zotefoams
Q1
Bank Pekao SA GDS (Reg S), Kosmos Energy (DI)
Friday 07 May
INTERIMS
Numis Corporation
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Begbies Traynor Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BMO UK High Income Trust
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION COM STK USD0.20 (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)
GMS
Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BMO UK High Income Trust B Shares
EGMS
Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Convatec Group , Holders Technology, InterContinental Hotels Group, Man Group, Rightmove, Schroder Asian Total Return Investment Company , The Barkby Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
InterContinental Hotels Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Anglo American, Fintel, Glanbia (CDI), Kingspan Group (CDI), Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Pearson, Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI)