Investors look to production data as FTSE flattens
Industrial data will be in focus this week as investors look for signs of life in the sector.
With rising fears of a second quarter slowdown for the UK economy, poor industrial and manufacturing production figures on Wednesday could stoke broader fears.
In March industrial production was wallowing 10 per cent below pre-crisis levels, with the figures showing the sector entered its third recession in the last decade.
Investors are hoping for some good news after the FTSE 100 closed at 6,209.63 points on Friday, still down some 13 per cent form last years highs.
Tomorrow we’ll get the latest Halifax house price index, and the week’s economic data is rounded off by balance of trade numbers on Thursday.
The key earnings announcement this week is from supermarket Sainsbury’s, posting its first-quarter results on Wednesday. In May the grocer warned that business was unlikely to pickup any time soon.
Look out on Thursday for a trading announcement from consumer goods company PZ Cussons.