Friday preview: US non-farm payrolls in focus

5th Mar 2015 17:25

The all-important US non-farm payrolls report and unemployment rate figures are due on Friday, alongside Eurozone gross domestic product data and a reading on UK inflation expectations.Analysts expect the Labor Department's official monthly data to show US employers added 235,000 workers in February and the jobless rate fell to 5.6% from 5.7%.It follows Thursday's ADP private payrolls report which revealed private sector employment in the US increased by 212,000 in February, undershooting economists' expectations for 219,000 jobs. However, the previous month's gains were revised sharply higher.In the euro-area, GDP is estimated to have grown by 0.9% year-on-year in the fourth quarter. The European Central Bank on Thursday raised its projection for the rate of economic expansion this year to 1.5% from 1%, saying it expects its quantitative easing programme to boost the recovery.In the UK, survey results on inflation expectations for the next 12 months will be released, courtesy of the Bank of England.Company-wise Marshalls, which supplies products for landscaping, reports its annual results with consensus forecasts pegging earnings per share at 9.3p, up from the previous year's 6.9p. Numis predicts a 36% increase in profit-before-tax, supported by economic growth and improved disposable income.Friday 5 MarchFINALSIndustrial Mlulti Propety TrustANNUAL REPORTSBrit, Rio TintoINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECity of London Investment Group, CPL Resources, Daejan Holdings, Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Latchways, Mattioli Woods,INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSNon-farm payrolls (US) (14:30)Unemployment rate (US) (14:30)Trade balance (US) (14:30)GMSMotive Television, Rangers International Football ClubAGMSElephant Capital, Fusionex International, Sinclair (William) Holdings, Spitfire Oil Ltd. (DI)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBlackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Chrysalis VCT, Sage Group