The short week looks likely to end with a squib, with economic stats set to take precedence over a meagre corporate diary.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes retail sales for March, which are expected to see a sharp contraction in growth, while consumer confidence data will also be important, given the grim readings on inflation recently.
After January’s retail sales rose 1.9% this was reversed in February as retail sales slipped back by -0.3%.
Also in the UK, consumer confidence by GfK is scheduled to be released on Friday, though March was before higher energy, council tax and broadband bills kicked in.
“Even so, the study may well still see the impact of rising fuel and food prices, as inflation continues to gallop away,” said analysts at AJ Bell.
They added: “Inflation is taking its toll because price rises are outstripping wage growth. That, in turn, is already hitting consumer confidence.”
The result from the GfK survey has plunged from -7 last July, as the country emerged from lockdowns, to -31 in February, the lowest reading since November 2020.
On top of inflation, there may also be issues with the rising number of COVID cases and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Friday 22 April 2022
Finals: Zinc Media (AIM:ZIN) (Zinc Media (AIM:ZIN)) Group PLC
Trading announcements: Record PLC (LSE:REC) (Record PLC (LSE:REC))
AGMs: Bellevue Healthcare Trust PLC, Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (AIM:FARN, OTC:FPHAF) (Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (AIM:FARN, OTC:FPHAF), Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (AIM:FARN, OTC:FPHAF)), Murray International Trust plc (LSE:MYI) (Murray International Trust plc (LSE:MYI))
Economic Data: GFK Consumer Confidence (UK), Retail Sales (UK)