Week ahead: Ukraine-Russia ceasefire, Fed, BoE in focus

14th Mar 2025 09:25

(Sharecast News) - All eyes over the coming week will on the attempts to broker a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.

At the weekend, the US envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, said that Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin would likely speak on Tuesday.

Witkoff also characterised his talks with Putin during the preceding week as "positive, it was a solutions-based discussion".

"[The US President] really expects there to be some sort of deal in the coming weeks and I believe that's the case," he added.

Against that backdrop, policymakers at the US Federal Reserve will meet to decide on policy on Wednesday.

Rates in the US are expected to be kept at 4.375%.

Rate-setters at the Bank of England are expected to also remain on hold when they meet on Thursday.

The Bank of Japan will also hold a policy meeting on Wednesday, followed by the Swiss National Bank and Sweden's Riksbank on the following day.

Also of key importance will be a raft of Chinese activity data for the month of February and US retail sales figures on Monday, as well as the January UK employment report on Thursday.

Monday 17 March

INTERIMS

Beeks Financial Cloud Group, Eagle Eye Solutions Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Triple Point Venture Vct

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Retail Sales (US) (12:30)

FINALS

Alpha Group International, BATM Advanced Communications Ltd., Diversified Energy Company , Marshalls, Sigmaroc

AGMS

Hercules Site Services , Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Baronsmead Second Venture Trust, Baronsmead Venture Trust

Tuesday 18 March

INTERIMS

Close Brothers Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

Building Permits (US) (12:30)

Business Inventories (US) (14:00)

Capacity Utilisation (US) (13:15)

Housing Starts (US) (12:30)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (12:30)

Industrial Production (US) (13:15)

ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

GMS

Metro Bank Holdings

FINALS

Atalaya Mining Copper, S.A. (CDI), Computacenter, Fintel, Genel Energy, H&T Group, Harworth Group, Light Science Technologies Holdings, Midwich Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , RM, Sabre Insurance Group, The Pebble Group, Trustpilot Group , Workspace Group, Yu Group

ANNUAL REPORT

International Workplace Group, Yu Group

AGMS

Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 2

Wednesday 19 March

INTERIMS

Softcat

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (14:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (11:00)

FINALS

Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Essentra, FDM Group (Holdings), HUTCHMED (China) Limited, Joint Stock Company National Atomic Company Kazatomprom GDR (Reg S) , Judges Scientific, M&G, Prudential

EGMS

Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Limited Gdr (Each Repr 5 A Shs Rmb1) (Reg S)

AGMS

Asia Strategic Holdings Limited NPV (DI), LPA Group, Safestore Holdings

Thursday 20 March

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Moonpig Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Abrdn UK Smaller Companies Growth Trust, Beazley, Craneware, Hargreaves Services, NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Limited Red Ord, NWF Group, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, Thorpe (F.W.), Tristel

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Patria Private Equity Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Confidence (EU) (15:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)

Current Account (US) (12:30)

Existing Home Sales (US) (14:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Central Asia Metals, Energean , Eurocell , Fisher (James) & Sons, Foresight Solar Fund Limited, Hostelworld Group , Robinson, Schroders Capital Global Innovation Trust

ANNUAL REPORT

Pressure Technologies, Schroders Capital Global Innovation Trust

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Limited Red Ord

AGMS

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust , Helix Exploration, Nuformix, Sydbank A/S Sydbank Ord Shs

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bloomsbury Publishing, Bloomsbury Publishing, Sanderson Design Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Minutes (11:00)

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock World Mining Trust, Chemring Group, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Bermuda Regd), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Jersey Reg), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Sing.Reg), Glanbia (CDI), Globaldata, Gore Street Energy Storage Fund , HGCapital Trust, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Law Debenture Corp., Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Nichols, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Pearson

Friday 21 March

INTERIMS

Wetherspoon (J.D.)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Heath (Samuel) & Sons

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

FINALS

Ceres Power Holdings

ANNUAL REPORT

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (DI)

AGMS

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI), HSBC Holdings

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)

Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

easyJet, Hercules Site Services , Impax Asset Management Group, Ramsdens Holdings