The Week Ahead
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Week commencing 30 March
Chris Beauchamp's insight
This week has data that provides an insight into how the war in the Middle East has hit the global economy. This comes in the form of inflation figures for Germany and the eurozone, plus the ISM purchasing managers indices (PMIs) for the US. Price growth is expected to have accelerated, while US economic activity is forecast to have slowed. Payrolls are also published, and after February’s shock fall markets will watch for signs of a recovery. However, the US unemployment rate is still expected to rise.
This busy slate of economic data makes up for an empty corporate calendar though US earnings season for first quarter (Q1) will be upon us soon enough.
Economic reports
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Weekly view
1pm – German inflation (March, preliminary): prices forecast to rise 2.3% year-on-year (YoY) and 0.7% month-on-month (MoM), from 1.9% and 0.2% respectively. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
2.30am – China PMIs (March): manufacturing activity forecast to rise to 49.8 from 49, and non-manufacturing to move back into expansion territory, at 50.5, from 49.5. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
7.45am – France inflation (March, preliminary): YoY rate expected to rise to 1.3% from 0.9%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
8.55am – German unemployment (March): unemployment rate expected to hold at 6.3%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
10am – eurozone inflation (March, flash): prices expected to rise 2.2% YoY and 0.9% MoM, from 1.9% and 0.6% in February. Core inflation to be 2.3% from 2.4%. YoY. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
2.45pm – US Chicago PMI (March): forecast to fall to 54 from 57.7. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US consumer confidence (March): expected to drop to 86 from 91.2. Markets to watch: USD crosses
2.45am – China RatingDog manufacturing PMI (March): expected to fall to 51.7 from 52.1. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
1.15pm – US ADP employment report (March): 80,000 jobs expected to have been created, up from 63,000 a month earlier. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
1.30pm – US retail sales (February): sales expected to have fallen 0.1% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US ISM manufacturing PMI (March): forecast to fall to 52 from 52.4. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 27 March): previous week saw stockpiles rise by 6.9 million barrels. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
1.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 28 March): forecast to be 213K. Markets to watch: USD crosses
2.45am – China RatingDog services PMI (March): forecast to fall to 54.5 from 56.7. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
1.30pm – US non-farm payrolls (NFPs) (March): 50,000 jobs expected to have been created, up from last month’s 92,000 loss. Unemployment rate forecast to rise to 4.5% from 4.4%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
3pm – US ISM services PMI (March): forecast to fall to 54 from 56.1. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Monday
1pm – German inflation (March, preliminary): prices forecast to rise 2.3% YoY and 0.7% MoM, from 1.9% and 0.2% respectively. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
Tuesday
2.30am – China PMIs (March): manufacturing activity forecast to rise to 49.8 from 49, and non-manufacturing to move back into expansion territory, at 50.5, from 49.5. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
7.45am – France inflation (March, preliminary): YoY rate expected to rise to 1.3% from 0.9%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
8.55am – German unemployment (March): unemployment rate expected to hold at 6.3%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
10am – eurozone inflation (March, flash): prices expected to rise 2.2% YoY and 0.9% MoM, from 1.9% and 0.6% in February. Core inflation to be 2.3% from 2.4%. YoY. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
2.45pm – US Chicago PMI (March): forecast to fall to 54 from 57.7. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US consumer confidence (March): expected to drop to 86 from 91.2. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Wednesday
2.45am – China RatingDog manufacturing PMI (March): expected to fall to 51.7 from 52.1. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
1.15pm – US ADP employment report (March): 80,000 jobs expected to have been created, up from 63,000 a month earlier. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
1.30pm – US retail sales (February): sales expected to have fallen 0.1% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US ISM manufacturing PMI (March): forecast to fall to 52 from 52.4. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 27 March): previous week saw stockpiles rise by 6.9 million barrels. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
Thursday
1.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 28 March): forecast to be 213K. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Friday
2.45am – China RatingDog services PMI (March): forecast to fall to 54.5 from 56.7. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
1.30pm – US non-farm payrolls (March): 50,000 jobs expected to have been created, up from last month’s 92,000 loss. Unemployment rate forecast to rise to 4.5% from 4.4%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
3pm – US ISM services PMI (March): forecast to fall to 54 from 56.1. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Company announcements
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
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Full-year earnings |
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| Half/ Quarterly earnings | Nike |
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| Trading update |
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Dividends
FTSE ex-dividend dates (2 April 2026):
FTSE 100: Barratt Redrow, IMI, Smiths
FTSE 250: RIT Capital, Taylor Wimpey, OSB, Domino's Pizza, Chesnara, Pollen Street
Index adjustments
|
Monday 30 March |
Tuesday 31 March |
Wednesday 1 April |
Thursday 2 April |
Friday 3 April |
Monday 6 April |
| FTSE 100 | 0.71 | |||||
| Australia 200 | 0.2 | 0.4 | ||||
| Wall Street | 8.4 | 9.2 | ||||
| US 500 | 0.60 | 0.28 | 0.48 | 0.50 | 0.06 | |
| Nasdaq 100 | 0.99 | 1.59 | 2.25 | 0.13 | ||
| Netherlands 25 | ||||||
| US Russell 2000 | 1.07 | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.04 | 0.07 | |
| China H-Shares | 2.3 | |||||
| Japan 225 | ||||||
| Hong Kong HS50 | 3.9 | |||||
| South Africa 40 | 201 | |||||
| France 40 | 7.8 | |||||
| Stoxx 600 | 2.6 | 4.9 |
* Please note these can change without notice
1 Dividend adjustments due to be posted on a bank holiday will usually be posted on the previous working day
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