The Week Ahead
Week commencing 16 March
Chris Beauchamp's insight
The war in the Middle East and surging energy prices will dominate the week, and will loom large in the rate decisions from central banks. The Federal Reserve (Fed), Bank of Japan (BoJ), Bank of England (BoE), European Central Bank (ECB), Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and Bank of Canada all release decisions, and while no change is expected on rates, we can be sure the discussions will revolve around oil and gas prices, and the outlook for inflation, which will have changed dramatically since they last met.
Aside from this, UK household names Prudential and JDWetherspoon release earnings, while in the US Micron Technology reports, but all this takes place in the shadow of what is going on in the Straits of Hormuz and in the skies over Iran.
Economic reports
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Weekly view
2am – China industrial production (Jan-Feb): expected to rise 5% year-on-year (YoY), down from 5.2%. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
12.30pm – Canada consumer price index (CPI) (February): prices expected to rise 2.1% from 2.3% YoY. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
12.30pm – US NY Empire State mfg index (March): forecast to drop to -1 from 7.1. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3.30am – RBA rate decision: rates expected to be held at 3.85%. Markets to watch: AUD crosses
10am – German ZEW index (March): index forecast to drop to 55 from 58.3. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
2pm – US pending home sales (February): sales expected to drop 0.4% YoY. Markets to watch: USD crosses
12.30pm – US producer price index (PPI) (February): producer prices expected to rise 0.3% month-on-month (MoM), from 0.5%. Markets to watch: USD crosses
1.45pm – Bank of Canada rate decision: rates expected to be held at 2.25%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
2.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 13 March): stockpiles rose by 3.8 million barrels in the previous week. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
6pm – Fed rate decision: no change in rates from 3.75% expected, and the recent surge in energy prices is likely to produce discussion on the outlook for interest rates. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
3am – BoJ rate decision: rates expected to be held at 0.75%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
7am – UK employment data (January): unemployment rate expected to be held at 5.2%, average earnings to rise 4.2%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
12pm – BoE rate decision: no change in rates from 3.75% expected, but concerns about higher inflation may cause some MPC members to change their views. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
12.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 14 March): claims expected to rise to 215K. Markets to watch: USD crosses
1.15pm – ECB rate decision: rates to be held at 2.15%, but a discussion on higher inflation is likely. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
None
Monday
2am – China industrial production (Jan-Feb): expected to rise 5% YoY, down from 5.2%. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
12.30pm – Canada CPI (February): prices expected to rise 2.1% from 2.3% YoY. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
12.30pm – US NY Empire State mfg index (March): forecast to drop to -1 from 7.1. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Tuesday
3.30am – RBA rate decision: rates expected to be held at 3.85%. Markets to watch: AUD crosses
10am – German ZEW index (March): index forecast to drop to 55 from 58.3. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
2pm – US pending home sales (February): sales expected to drop 0.4% YoY. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Wednesday
12.30pm – US PPI (February): producer prices expected to rise 0.3% MoM, from 0.5%. Markets to watch: USD crosses
1.45pm – Bank of Canada rate decision: rates expected to be held at 2.25%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
2.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 13 March): stockpiles rose by 3.8 million barrels in the previous week. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
6pm – Fed rate decision: no change in rates from 3.75% expected, and the recent surge in energy prices is likely to produce discussion on the outlook for interest rates. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
Thursday
3am – BoJ rate decision: rates expected to be held at 0.75%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
7am – UK employment data (January): unemployment rate expected to be held at 5.2%, average earnings to rise 4.2%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
12pm – BoE rate decision: no change in rates from 3.75% expected, but concerns about higher inflation may cause some MPC members to change their views. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
12.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 14 March): claims expected to rise to 215K. Markets to watch: USD crosses
1.15pm – ECB rate decision: rates to be held at 2.15%, but a discussion on higher inflation is likely. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
Friday
None
Company announcements
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Full-year earnings |
Marshalls | ||||
| Half/ Quarterly earnings | Dollar Tree |
|
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| Trading update |
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Dividends
FTSE ex-dividend dates (12th March 2026):
FTSE 100: NatWest, Standard Chartered, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Pearson, Melrose, Beazley, M&G
FTSE 250: Goodwin, Chemring, Aberdeen, Lancashire Holdings, HgCapital Trust, Law Debenture
Index adjustments
|
Monday 16 March |
Tuesday 17 March |
Wednesday 18 March |
Thursday 19 March |
Friday 20 March |
Monday 23 March |
| FTSE 100 | 12.08 | 0.1 | ||||
| Australia 200 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.6 | |
| Wall Street | 1.5 | |||||
| US 500 | 0.25 | 0.07 | 0.38 | 0.17 | 0.40 | 0.06 |
| Nasdaq 100 | 0.34 | 1.63 | 1.50 | |||
| Netherlands 25 | ||||||
| US Russell 2000 | 0.13 | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.16 | 0.09 | 0.11 |
| China H-Shares | ||||||
| Japan 225 | 0.92 | |||||
| Hong Kong HS50 | ||||||
| South Africa 40 | 89.3 | |||||
| France 40 | 0.2 | |||||
| Stoxx 600 | 0.7 |
* 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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