Week ahead: US jobs report, Fed's Powell in the spotlight

(Sharecast News) - Investors' attention over the coming week will be trained on two key risk events in the U.S.. The first of those will be what many consider to be the all-important monthly non-farm payrolls report in the States due out on Friday.

That will be preceded on Wednesday by Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell's semi-annual testimony to Congress on monetary policy.

Quite significant as well for financial markets will be the Chinese People's Congress, which will begin on Tuesday, and the Chancellor's Spring Budget which will be announced on the following day.

Regarding the latter, Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Finalto, said: "I would think this is going to be more about pre-election giveaways to woo middle and working class England - personal tax cuts are welcome but probably won't do much for the FTSE."

Nonetheless, fresh forecasts for borrowing and tax cuts could affect gilts and sterling, Wilson added.

Thursday may also prove consequential, as rate-setters at the European Central Bank announce their latest policy decision.

Other important economic data releases to watch for will include a raft of services sector purchasing managers' surveys for the euro area, UK and US on Tuesday.

Policy makers at Bank of Canada will meet to decide on policy come Wednesday.

U.S. politics will also be on the radar with investors digesting the news-flow around the so-called 'Super Tuesday' primaries.

Monday 4 March

FINALS

Tekmar Group, JSC Halyk Bank GDR (Reg S), Edita Food Industries, ROS Agro GDR REG S,

Bellevue Healthcare Trust (Red), Quartix, Technologies, Pagegroup, Autins Group, Globaldata, Clarkson

INTERIMS

Craneware

Q4

JSC Halyk Bank GDR (Reg S), ROS Agro GDR REG S

FINALS

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Caledonia Mining Corporation (DI), Jaywing, Celsius Resources Limited (DI), Rosslyn Data Technologies

AGMs

JPMorgan Emerging Europe, Middle East & Africa Securities

EGMs

Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd.

GMs

Ascent Resources, Kromek Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Edita Food Industries, Bellevue Healthcare Trust (Red), Moneysupermarket.com Group

Tuesday 5 March

FINALS

IWG, SIG, Reach, Apax Global Alpha Limited, Headlam Group, Bakkavor Group, Johnson Service Group, Hiscox Limited (DI), Inchcape, XP Power Ltd. (DI), Rotork, STV Group, Travis Perkins, Intertek Group, Greggs, Keller Group, Fresnillo

INTERIMS

DotDigital Group, Beeks Financial Cloud Group

Q3

Ashtead Group

AGMs

Baronsmead Venture Trust, Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Driver Group, Edinburgh Worldwide Inv Trust, Jersey Electricity 'A' Shares, CC Japan Income & Growth Trust, Ajax Resources, Baronsmead Second Venture Trust

GMs

Beowulf Mining, UK Oil & Gas

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, PayPoint

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

PMI Composite (09:30)

PMI Services (09:30)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTE

PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)

PMI Services (GER) (08:55)

PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)

PMI Services (EU) (09:00)

Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

PMI Composite (US) (14:45)

PMI Services (US) (14:45)

PMI Services (US) (15:00)

ISM Services (US) (15:00)

Factory Orders (US) (15:00)

Wednesday 6 March

FINALS

Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Quilter, Ibstock, Rathbones Group, Lancashire Holdings Limited, Spirent Communications, Legal & General Group, Nichols, Convatec Group, Tullow Oil, CLS Holdings, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Breedon Group

INTERIMS

Galliford Try, Netcall, Ricardo

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Smith (DS)

AGMs

Mila Resources, Paragon Banking Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AB Dynamics

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Tetragon Financial Group Limited

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Construction (09:30)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Thursday 7 March

FINALS

Aviva, Tyman, Coats Group, Entain, TT Electronics, Harbour Energy, ITV, Admiral Group, Melrose Industries, Just Group, Beazley, Rentokil Initial, Elementis, Nexus Infrastructure, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Robert Walters

INTERIMS

Darktrace, Brooks Macdonald Group, Kier Group

AGMs

Asia Strategic Holdings Limited NPV (DI), Ct Uk Capital and Income Investment Trust, Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust

GMs

XPS Pensions Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Allianz Technology Trust

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Rights & Issues Investment Trust, Safestore Holdings, Athelney Trust, Woodside Energy Group Ltd NPV (DI), Rio Tinto, Law Debenture Corp., Standard Chartered

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Temple Bar Inv Trust, SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust, BHP Group Limited NPV (DI), Renishaw, JPMorgan Global Markets Emerging Income Trust, HSBC Holdings, Ct Uk Capital and Income Investment Trust, Colefax Group, Thames Ventures Vct 2 DSO D Shs, Redcentric, Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, South32 Limited (DI), Berkeley Group Holdings (The), Crown Place VCT, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, Abrdn DIversified Income And Growth, PZ Cussons, Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Ltd, Develop North, JPMorgan Global Growth & Income, Personal Assets Trust, Utilico Emerging Markets Ltd (DI)

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Vaalco Energy, Inc (DI), Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust, Assura, RM Infrastructure Income, Energean

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Friday 8 March

FINALS

BP, FBD Holdings (CDI), Informa

AGMs

Allergy Therapeutics, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Baronsmead Second Venture Trust, Avon Protection, Baronsmead Venture Trust, Paragon Banking Group, Victorian Plumbing Group, Renew Holdings, Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Blackstone Loan Financing Limited (EUR), PRS Reit (The), Troy Income & Growth Trust, Aberforth Split Level Income Trust, Majedie, Investments, Residential Secure Income, S&U, SSE

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)