The European Central Bank (ECB) meets this Thursday amid speculation that it will announce the first hike in official euro zone interest rates since July 2008.
Expectations of a quarter percentage point increase have been cemented by recent hawkish comments from ECB officials, as well as news that euro zone inflation hit 2.6 per cent in March.
Meanwhile the latest ECB Irish exchequer balance figures are due out today.
MONDAY
Indicators: EU-17 PPI (Feb) and Sentix Index of Investor Sentiment (Apr); Irish Exchequer Balance (to end Mar); UK Construction PMI (Mar)
Other: Ernst Young webcast panel debate on future of the eurozone; Bord Gáis Energy Index for March 2011
TUESDAY
Meeting:4th annual ITLG Technology Awards (Stanford University); Avaya to launch Galway customer experience centre (Mervue Business Park)
Indicators:EU-17 Markit Services PMI (Mar) and Retail Sales (Feb); US Services ISM (Mar) and minutes of FOMC meeting (Mar 15th); UK CIPS Services PMI (Mar); OECD interim economic assessment.
WEDNESDAY
Meeting:Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award (Royal Hibernian Academy, D2); Prof Philip Lane to deliver the Henry Grattan Lecture "The Euro Area Crisis – the agenda for the new Irish government" (TCD)
Indicators:EU-16 GDP (Q4); UK BRC Shop Prices (Mar) and Industrial Production (Feb)
THURSDAY
Meeting:InterTradeIreland Venture Capital Conference 2011; Emily Logan to launch new ESRI book – "The changing faces of Ireland: exploring the lives of immigrant and ethnic minority children"; National Agency Workers Directive roadshow (Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown); Enterprise Ireland Social Media Club
Indicators:Irish Consumer Price Index (Mar); US Weekly Jobless Claims (w/e Mar 26th) and Consumer Credit (Feb); German Industrial Production (Feb); French Trade Balance (Feb);
Other:ECB and Bank of England policy announcements; Chambers Ireland Report Launch 'Strategic Infrastructure Planning: Making it Better'
FRIDAY
Indicators:UK PPI – Output (Mar); German Trade Balance (Feb); Japanese Trade Balance (Feb)
