A slightly quieter week is come, with only a smattering of trading updates and results from the big hitters.
The Halifax house price index on Thursday will be of interest to many, particularly builders and potential homebuyers.
Housing too on Monday with Belvoir’s update giving an insight into the lettings market, which has been exceptionally strong since lockdowns started to ease.
Tuesday 5 April
Aside from Belvoir, the week kicks off in earnest on Tuesday with Moonpig Group PLC (LSE:MOON).
The personalised card and gift company will release a trading update, with investors keen to see if it has been able to continue the good progress made at the end of 2021.
A FTSE 250 constituent, it forecast annual revenue at the upper end of its guidance range of £270mln-£285mln in its first-half results.
In the six months ending October 31 2021, Moonpig indicated it was attracting indicated more customers who were buying more.
Retention rate also rose, with 89% of the £143mln revenue generated by existing customers.
Alas, the share price of the London-based business has nosedived since the start of the year by 38% to 233p with people perhaps worries that as the squeeze on household incomes tightens cards and gifts might be vulnerable.
Valentine's and Mother’s Day are two of the busiest periods for the group, but it is the gaps in between that are the worry.
Wednesday 6 April
A trading statement from nicotine delivery specialist Imperial Brands PLC (LSE:IMB) on Wednesday comes with its shares having slumped almost 60% over the past five years, with a pickup at the start of 2022 followed by a retreat as it suspended operations in Russia and Ukraine.
We will surely get to hear how this is impacting performance, although it is not expected to move the dial much, says analyst Matt Britzman at Hargreaves, with the regions representing around 2% of sales and 0.5% of underlying operating profits last year.
"Attention will instead be on sales growth, or lack thereof, in the group’s five core markets. The US, UK and Spain were all driving forces behind last year’s small increase in tobacco sales, offsetting drops in Germany and Australia. As we enter the second year of the ‘strengthening phase’ in those markets, we’ll be hoping to hear about improving market shares."
Commentary on recent consumer behaviour will be watched amid the easing of pandemic rules and changing health habits, with the performance of next-generation products having been troublesome for Imps in recent years.
Wednesday also sees Hilton Food Group PLC (LSE:HFG)’s full-year results on the menu.
Trading was said to be in line with the board’s expectations for this year (ending 2 January 2022) with growth driven by organic expansion and acquisitions.
The company bought Dutch Seafood, Fairfax Meadow Europe and Dalco Food over the course of last year.
Shares have advanced 5.5% in the year-to-date for the Tesco-dedicated food production company and a positive set of results should maintain the upward trend.
Thursday 7 April
Thursday sees Entain PLC (LSE:ENT) announce an update just weeks after reasonably well-received annual numbers, so expect nothing too major from the owner of Ladbrokes, Coral, Sportingbet and Foxy Bingo.
Entain is targeting net gaming revenue growth of a mid to high single-digit percentage this year, which analysts translate into 15% revenue growth across the group in 2022 and £1bn in underlying profits.
The UK’s gaming habits now lockdown is fully over might get a mention and if US joint venture with BetMGM is still on track for profitability in 2023.
The bookie may also touch on the UK’s review of the Gambling Act and how it might impact the FTSE 100 company going forward.
Robert Walters will be an interesting one to keep an eye out for, with its trading update analysed closely for any signs that the post-lockdown jobs boom is fading.
The recruiter recently announced its highest ever profits, which jumped four-fold to £50mln in 2021.
Permanent staff is where the demand is most keen, said the staffing agency, with working from home not having any noticeable effect on rocketing recruitment levels.
"The jobs market is strong, wage inflation is increasing everywhere and candidate and client confidence is high,” said its eponymous CEO.
Walters added he was mindful of the “macro-economic and political uncertainties that do exist” and any indication these are feeding into the jobs market might cause a wobble.
Friday 8 April
CMC Markets PLC (LSE:CMCX) ends the week, accompanied by the beleaguered Ferrexpo PLC (LSE:FXPO).
The former gives an update on trading in 2022 against the backdrop of its share buyback programme.
The trading platform operator’s shares have finally started to recover from last September’s disappointing trading update after the company said at the end of January that both its leveraged and non-leveraged platforms will continue to perform well during 2022.
Both platforms were running at “close to record levels”, according to chief financial officer, Euan Marshall.
CMC indicated that it was still confident of achieving net operating income within its guidance range of £250mln-£280mln for the year March 31.
Trading platform operators love volatility and with recent events, there has been volatility aplenty so shareholders will be hoping the company put in a good finish to its financial year.
A first-quarter trading update is expected from Ferrexpo PLC (LSE:FXPO) (Ferrexpo PLC (LSE:FXPO)), but investors shouldn’t hold their breaths.
The iron ore pellets producer has operations in central Ukraine and has already indicated it is having trouble compiling its results because of the disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.
“We will maintain our current focus on protecting our workforce and local communities, whilst also continuing to contribute to the Ukrainian economy through our production of iron ore pellets. We will look to publish our accounts as soon as the situation in Ukraine permits us to do so," said Jim North, the company’s chief executive officer, last month.
If the company does release production figures, the focus will obviously be on how much of the Swiss company’s projected output was hit by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Major announcements due 4-8 April
Monday 4 April
Finals: Belvoir Group PLC (AIM:BLV) (Belvoir Group PLC (AIM:BLV)), Elixirr International PLC (AIM:ELIX) (Elixirr International PLC (AIM:ELIX)), Xpediator PLC (AIM:XPD) (Xpediator PLC (AIM:XPD)), Provident Financial (LSE:PFG) (Provident Financial (LSE:PFG))
AGMs: Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTCQB:POLBF) (Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTCQB:POLBF), Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTCQB:POLBF))
Economic data: Factory Orders (US)
Tuesday 5 April
Finals: DP Eurasia NV, Next Fifteen Communications Group PLC (AIM:NFC) (Next Fifteen Communications Group PLC (AIM:NFC)), The Property Franchise Group (AIM:TPFG) (The Property Franchise Group (AIM:TPFG)), Quixant PLC (LSE:QXT) (Quixant PLC (LSE:QXT)), SourceBio International PLC (AIM:SBI) (SourceBio International PLC (AIM:SBI)), Homeserve PLC (LSE:HSV) (Homeserve PLC (LSE:HSV))
Trading announcements: Marlow PLC, Moonpig Group PLC (LSE:MOON) (Moonpig Group PLC (LSE:MOON)), Gooch & Housego PLC (AIM:GHH) (Gooch & Housego PLC (AIM:GHH))
AGMs: Athelney Trust, Scottish American Investment Co PLC
Economic data: PMI Composite (US), PMI Servies (US), ISM Prices Paid (US), ISM Services (US), PMI Services (UK)
Wednesday 6 April
Finals: Avacta Group PLC (AIM:AVCT) (Avacta Group PLC (AIM:AVCT)), Epwin Group PLC (LSE:EPW) (Epwin Group PLC (LSE:EPW)), Hilton Food Group PLC (LSE:HFG) (Hilton Food Group PLC (LSE:HFG)), Wentworth Resources PLC (AIM:WEN) (Wentworth Resources PLC (AIM:WEN))
Interims: Applied Graphene Materials PLC (AIM:AGM, OTCQX:APGMF) (Applied Graphene Materials PLC (AIM:AGM, OTCQX:APGMF), Applied Graphene Materials PLC (AIM:AGM, OTCQX:APGMF))
Trading announcements: Imperial Brands PLC (LSE:IMB) (Imperial Brands PLC (LSE:IMB))
AGMs: Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust (LSE:DORE) (Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust (LSE:DORE)) PLC, Maven Income and Growth VCT 3 PLC
Economic data: MBA Mortgage Applications (US), Crude Oil Inventories (US), PMI Construction (UK)
Thursday 7 April
Finals: Attraqt Group PLC (LSE:ATQT) (Attraqt Group PLC (LSE:ATQT))
Interims: Tracsis (AIM:TRCS) (Tracsis (AIM:TRCS)) PLC
Trading announcements: Parity Group PLC (AIM:PTY) (Parity Group PLC (AIM:PTY)), Entain PLC (LSE:ENT) (Entain PLC (LSE:ENT)), Topps Tiles PLC (LSE:TPT) (Topps Tiles PLC (LSE:TPT)), Robert Walters PLC (LSE:RWA) (Robert Walters PLC (LSE:RWA))
AGMs: AFC Energy PLC (AIM:AFC, OTC:AFGYF, ETR:QC8) (AFC Energy PLC (AIM:AFC, OTC:AFGYF, ETR:QC8), AFC Energy PLC (AIM:AFC, OTC:AFGYF, ETR:QC8), AFC Energy PLC (AIM:AFC, OTC:AFGYF, ETR:QC8)), Law Debenture Corporation (LSE:LWDB) (Law Debenture Corporation (LSE:LWDB)) PLC, Polar Capital Global Financials Trust PLC, RM Plc (LSE:RM.) (RM Plc (LSE:RM.))
Economic data: Continuing Claims (US), Initial Jobless Claims (US), Consumer Credit (US), Halifax House Price Index (UK)
Friday 8 April
Trading announcements: CMC Markets PLC (LSE:CMCX), Ferrexpo PLC (LSE:FXPO)
AGMs: Leeds Building Society, Rio Tinto PLC (LSE:RIO)
Economic data: Wholesale Inventories (US)