Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

The Week Ahead

Read about upcoming market-moving events and plan your trading week

Week commencing 20 March

Chris Beauchamp's insight

While UK watchers will be keeping an eye on consumer price index (CPI) and the Bank of England (BoE) rate decision, there really is only one game in town this week, namely the Federal Reserve (Fed) rate decision. Expectations around this have been on an epic rollercoaster ride over the last two weeks, as first a hawkish Powell and then the US banking crisis caught markets on the hop. We have seen expectations go to a 50 basis points (bp) hike, and then to a ‘no change’ (and some even calling for a cut), and now, as things settle down, a 25bps hike is once again the forecast. Much will depend on the outlook issued at the meeting too, and so investors should be prepared for volatility this week, though perhaps not as much volatility as this past week.

Economic reports

  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Weekly view

None

12.30am – RBA meeting minutes: these will look at the recent rate decision. Markets to watch: AUD crosses

10am – German ZEW index (March): index to fall to 28 from 28.1. Markets to watch: EUR crosses

1.30pm – Canada CPI (February): prices to rise 5.2% YoY from 5.9%, and 0.3% MoM from 0.5%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses

3pm – US existing home sales (February): forecast to rise 0.5% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses

7am – UK CPI (February): prices to rise 9.6% YoY and 0.5% MoM from last month’s 10.1% and -0.6%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

2.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 17 March). Markets to watch: Brent, WTI

6pm – FOMC rate decision: after a see-saw couple of weeks, US rates are expected to rise by 25bps, to 5%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

12pm – BoE rate decision: rates to rise to 4.25% from 4%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

12.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 18 March): claims to fall to 190K. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

2pm – US new home sales (February): expected to fall 4.5% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses

11.30pm – Japan CPI (February): expected to rise 3.3% YoY from 4.3%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses

7am – UK retail sales (February): sales to rise 1.2% MoM. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

9am – eurozone PMIs (March, flash): mfg index to rise to 49 and services to fall to 52.5. Markets to watch: EUR crosses

9.30am – UK PMIs (March, flash): mfg PMI to fall to 48.3 and services to fall to 50.7. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

1.30pm – US durable goods orders (February): orders to rise 0.5% MoM and 0.4% excluding transportation. Markets to watch: USD crosses

1.45pm – US PMIs (March, flash): mfg to fall to 47 and services to fall to 50.1. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

Monday

None

Tuesday

12.30am – RBA meeting minutes: these will look at the recent rate decision. Markets to watch: AUD crosses

10am – German ZEW index (March): index to fall to 28 from 28.1. Markets to watch: EUR crosses

1.30pm – Canada CPI (February): prices to rise 5.2% YoY from 5.9%, and 0.3% MoM from 0.5%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses

3pm – US existing home sales (February): forecast to rise 0.5% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses

Wednesday

7am – UK CPI (February): prices to rise 9.6% YoY and 0.5% MoM from last month’s 10.1% and -0.6%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

2.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 17 March). Markets to watch: Brent, WTI

6pm – FOMC rate decision: after a see-saw couple of weeks, US rates are expected to rise by 25bps, to 5%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

Thursday

12pm – BoE rate decision: rates to rise to 4.25% from 4%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

12.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 18 March): claims to fall to 190K. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

2pm – US new home sales (February): expected to fall 4.5% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses

11.30pm – Japan CPI (February): expected to rise 3.3% YoY from 4.3%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses

Friday

7am – UK retail sales (February): sales to rise 1.2% MoM. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

9am – eurozone PMIs (March, flash): mfg index to rise to 49 and services to fall to 52.5. Markets to watch: EUR crosses

9.30am – UK PMIs (March, flash): mfg PMI to fall to 48.3 and services to fall to 50.7. Markets to watch: GBP crosses

1.30pm – US durable goods orders (February): orders to rise 0.5% MoM and 0.4% excluding transportation. Markets to watch: USD crosses

1.45pm – US PMIs (March, flash): mfg to fall to 47 and services to fall to 50.1. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

Company announcements

Monday
20 March

Tuesday
21 March

Wednesday
22 March

Thursday
23 March

Friday
24 March

Full-year earnings

Kingfisher

Fevertree Drinks,
Vistry

Wickes

Half/ Quarterly earnings

Foot Locker

Nike

General Mills

JD Wetherspoon,
Smiths Group

Trading update*

Sthree

Dividends

FTSE 100: British American Tobacco, Schroders, Pearson, Prudential

FTSE 250: Chemring, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, CLS, Volution, Close Brothers, OSB, Hipgnosis

Dividends are applied after the close of the previous day’s session for each market. So, for example, the FTSE 100 goes ex-dividend on a Thursday, but the adjustment is applied at the close of the previous day, e.g. Wednesday. The table below shows the days in which the adjustment is applied, not the ex-dividend days.

Index adjustments

Monday
20 March
Tuesday
21 March
Wednesday
22 March
Thursday
23 March
Friday
24 March
Monday
27 March
FTSE 100 7.04
Australia 200 0.5 0.3
Wall Street
US 500 0.28 0.30 0.33 0.03 0.10
Nasdaq 1.87
Netherlands 25
EU Stocks 50 2.5 4.1
China H-Shares
Singapore Blue Chip
Hong Kong HS50
South Africa 40 117.0
Italy 40
Japan 225

* Please note these can change without notice

* Dividend adjustments due to be posted on a bank holiday will usually be posted on the previous working day

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