Thursday preview: UK and Europe economic results

The focus Thursday will be drawn to the release of macro-economic data in the UK and Europe including purchasing managers' index (PMI) results and interest rate decisions.

The UK PMI Services index for March is expected to fall to 51.5 from the previous month's 51.8 and will come a day after the PMI results for construction output.

Britain's construction output contracted in March for the third month in a row, according to Markit/CIPS Construction PMI on Wednesday.

The index inched up to 47.2 from 46.8 in February, holding below the 50 level that separates expansion from contraction and just missing forecasts of 47.5. Markit blamed unusually cold weather and poor demand for the decline.

Europe's PMI Services and Composite figures for March will also be released which are both expected to stay unchanged at 46.5.

In other important economic news, the Bank of England (BoE) and European Central Bank (ECB) will unveil their verdicts for interest rates in the UK and Europe respectively.

The UK's interest rate is expected to hold steady at 0.5% while Europe will remain at 0.75%.

While the ECB and BoE are expected to leave interest rate levels alone, Japan's central bank is anticipated to announce a forceful monetary easing to boost its recession-hit economy.

Japan's meeting will be the first under the helm of new Bank of Japan Governor, Haruhiko Kuroda, who has made no secret of his support of aggressive monetary policy.

Thursday April 4th

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, Pennon Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)

PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)

PMI Services (EU) (09:00)

PMI Services (GER) (08:55)

Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Speech President Chicago Fed (13:45)

Speech President Kansas City Fed (16:30)

Speech Fed Vice-Chairman (22:00)

GMS

Andes Energia, Media Corporation, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares

IMSS

Amec, Domino's Pizza Group

AGMS

Amec, Publishing Technology, Scottish American Inv Company

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Booker Group, Printing.com

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

Official Reserves (09:30)

PMI Composite (09:30)

PMI Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Jersey Electricity 'A' Shares, St. Modwen Properties, Throgmorton Trust