What’s Happening Next Week?

This story features SIMS LIMITED, and other companies. For more info SHARE ANALYSIS: SGM

By Chris Shaw

Economic data will again be the focus of investors in the coming week with the releases starting over the weekend with an OPEC meeting where production cuts are likely to be under discussion and a get-together of G20 finance ministers and central bankers in London as they prepare for the G20 summit in that city next month.

From Monday there should be further updates on the health of both the Australian and global economies, with Australian data over the week to include the Westpac Leading Index for January, out on Tuesday along with the latest minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and December quarter housing starts and February motor vehicle sales data out on Thursday.

Across the ditch in New Zealand investors will be able to study December quarter manufacturing activity numbers out on Monday and visitor arrival and credit card spending data for February out on Friday.

Japan will again be active in terms of the number of economic announcements expected, ranging from the January tertiary activity index out Monday, February machine tool orders on Tuesday and the Bank of Japan’s latest decision on monetary policy on Wednesday, the same day all industry activity index numbers and leading and coincident index numbers for January are due.

In Europe the major data for the European Union include CPI numbers for February and fourth quarter employment numbers out on Monday, the findings of the latest ZEW Economic Sentiment Survey due Tuesday, January construction output data to be released on Wednesday, January IP data on Thursday and January trade balance and construction output numbers due next Friday.

In contrast the UK data outlook appears relatively quiet with only Rightmoves house price data on Monday, January unemployment numbers and the latest Bank of England minutes on Wednesday and industrial trends data for March out on Thursday.

From the US the market is likely to focus on industrial production (IP) and capacity utilisation numbers for February and March Empire Manufacturing results due on Monday, before the US Federal Reserve rate decision on Tuesday, which will also see PPI and housing starts numbers for February released. Wednesday will see the latest CPI and current account numbers, while on Thursday there will be February leading indicators and the latest Philly Fed index data.

Among the Australian companies to go ex-dividend next week there is Leighton Holdings ((LEI)) and Sims Group ((SGM)) on Monday, Billabong ((BBG)) on Tuesday and Challenger Financial ((CGF)) on Thursday.

For more information: see the FNArena calendar on the website (updated regularly) and Monday’s The Week Ahead.

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