Week ahead: Fed speakers, manufacturing data in focus

Anyone hoping for a respite from central bank-watch may be sorely disappointed next week.

While the world's major central banks had already made their policy announcements, the usual ebb-and-flow of economic data would be supplemented by speeches from at least eight Fed speakers.

Next in importance for investors would be Friday's slate of manufacturing sector purchasing managers' indices for the euro area and the US, referencing the month of March, from Markit.

Although derided by some as 'soft' data, the hope will be for recent strength to be sustained, thus propping up forecasts for further monetary policy normalisation in both economic blocks and elsewhere.

At home, focus in the UK would be on Tuesday's data for CPI and factory gate prices referencing the month of February.

They would come alongside the latest public finance figures for that same month.

The following day will see official retail sales data from ONS, together with industrial and retail sales surveys from the Confederation of British Industry for March.

Data on US durable goods orders for February, also on Friday, might also make for an interesting read.

Monday March 20

INTERIMS
Diurnal Group, Finsbury Food Group, Volution Group (WI)

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Total SA

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS
Frenkel Topping Group, JKX Oil & Gas, John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd, Maintel Holdings, Maxcyte (DI/Reg S), MD Medical Group Investments GDR (Reg S), One Media IP Group, Real Estate Investors, Satellite Solutions Worldwide Group, Taptica International (DI)

ANNUAL REPORT
John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (11:00)

Tuesday March 21

INTERIMS
Bellway, Earthport, SCS Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Rank Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Current Account (US) (13:30)

FINALS
888 Holdings, Accesso Technology Group, Augean, EKF Diagnostics Holdings , EnQuest, Fevertree Drinks, Gamma Communications, Goals Soccer Centres, Hansteen Holdings, Huntsworth, IQE, Judges Scientific, Mears Group, NAHL Group, SafeCharge International Group Limited (DI), Sinclair Pharma, Smart Metering Systems, Ubisense Group, Vectura Group

ANNUAL REPORT
Electronic Data Processing

AGMS
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. GDR (Reg S), Blue Prism Group, Centamin (DI), Electronic Data Processing

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (09:30)
Producer Price Index (09:30)
Public Sector Net Borrowing (09:30)
Retail Price Index (09:30)

Wednesday March 22

INTERIMS
Haydale Graphene Industries, Softcat

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
UIL Limited (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (14:30)
Current Account (EU) (10:00)
House Price Index (US) (13:00)

FINALS
Cello Group, EG Solutions, Ferrexpo, Kingfisher, Quixant, Savills, Xaar

ANNUAL REPORT
Barclays

AGMS
Blackrock Throgmorton Trust, CC Japan Income & Growth Trust, RM, Safestore Holdings

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Lancashire Holdings Limited

Thursday March 23

INTERIMS
Kier Group, Tracsis

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Murgitroyd Group, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Brooks Macdonald Group, Clinigen Group, Close Brothers Group, Dunelm Group, Foresight Solar & Infrastructure VCT, Galliford Try, NWF Group, Redrow, Thorpe (F.W.), Tristel

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Funding Circle SME Income Fund

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)
New Homes Sales (US) (14:00)

GMS
Conygar Investment Company

FINALS
Akers Biosciences, Inc. , Arbuthnot Banking Group, Curtis Banks Group, Frutarom Industries Ltd GDR (Reg S), Futura Medical, GVC Holdings, IFG Group, Mission Marketing Group, Next, PV Crystalox Solar, Regional REIT Limited, Safestyle UK , Science In Sport, Secure Trust Bank, Soco International, Sopheon , Ted Baker, Venture Life Group

AGMS
Crest Nicholson Holdings, Electra Private Equity, Octopus Titan VCT

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halma

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)
Retail Sales (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
32Red, Treatt

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, Bovis Homes Group, Fidelity European Values, Heavitree Brewery, Heavitree Brewery 'A' Shares, Meggitt, Midwich Group, Octopus AIM VCT 2, Private & Commercial Finance Group, SEGRO

Friday March 24

INTERIMS
Smiths Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Berkeley Group Holdings (The), Hollywood Bowl Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust , Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Brunner Inv Trust, The SME Loan Fund

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Durable Goods Orders (US) (12:30)

FINALS
Frontier Smart Technologies Group Limited, Henry Boot, Lamprell

ANNUAL REPORT
RPS Group, Standard Chartered

EGMS
All Asia Asset Capital Limited (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BBA Mortgage Lending Figures (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Downing Three VCT D Share , Downing Two VCT D Share , Henderson Opportunities Trust, Hollywood Bowl Group, LPA Group