Week ahead in business and economics: April 14-18

Economists expect tomorrow’s inflation figures to show a fall in consumer price rises from 1.7pc to 1.5pc, the lowest since 2009, largely due to lower fuel prices and food costs during the month. Labour market figures on Wednesday are expected to show wages rising by around 1.8pc, as well as a fall in the unemployment rate from 7.2pc. Official house price figures will also be released on Tuesday.

In the eurozone, the threat of deflation could come a step nearer when the final figure for consumer prices in March is published on Wednesday. An initial estimate came out at 0.5pc, the lowest since November 2009.

Federal Reserve chairman Janet Yellen has a busy week in the US, delivering speeches tomorrow and Wednesday.

Monday April 14

Full-year results M.P. Evans Group

Interim results Carrs Milling Industries

Trading update None scheduled

Economics Eurozone industrial production figures for February, US retail sales for March

Meetings Novae Group (AGM)

Tuesday April 15

Mike Ashley’s plans for Debenhams and the reasons why the trainers tycoon took a stake in the department store should become clearer this week. The company is scheduled to report interim results, which are unlikely to be pretty after Debenhams issued a profits warning following tough Christmas trading.

JD Sports is expected to reveal a substantial rise in full-year profits after a bumper Christmas in which it refused to discount on the high street. The sportswear retailer, which owns several chains as well as camping equipment stores Blacks and Millets, grew like-for-like sales by 5.8pc over Christmas without sacrificing margins. Analysts at Oriel Securities expect sales to have climbed 2pc to £1.28bn, with profit before tax up 23pc at £74m. Shareholders will also be looking for evidence that Millets and Blacks, which JD Sports bought out of administration in January 2012, are on course for profitability.

Recruiter Michael Page is set to ride the recovery wave, just like its peers who reported last week. The company is also reaping the benefits of stripping out costs and adding more fee-generating positions so could even benefit more from the economic recovery than some of its competitors. However, the slowdown in emerging markets combined with the group’s global footprint and sterling’s strength could dent domestic growth.

Full-year results Amara Mining, JD Sports Fashion

Interim results Debenhams

Trading update Aggreko, e2v technologies, Energy Assets Group, GKN, Hochschild Mining, Michael Page International, Rio Tinto, SABMiller

Economics UK BRC retail sales monitor for March, CPI for March, PPI figures for March, ONS house price index for March, US CPI figures for March, US Federal Reserve chairman Janet Yellen to speak at financial markets conference

Meetings HICL Infrastructure Company Limited (EGM), Rio Tinto (AGM)

Wednesday April 16

Philip Clarke, chief executive of Tesco, will have the chance to respond to his critics when he unveils full-year results. The consensus in the City is that the supermarket group’s trading profits will fall 6pc to £3.2bn, which follows a 13pc drop in last year’s figures. The drop in profits has been caused by declining sales throughout Tesco’s global businesses. The UK division, which still accounts for the vast majority of of the retailer’s profits, is likely to have suffered a 2.7pc decline in like-for-like sales during the final quarter, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank. Mr Clarke will be questioned on how Tesco plans to revive its UK business. But much of the plan was outlined previously at an investor day in February, and since then Tesco shares have fallen to a 10-year low.

Full-year results Tesco

Interim results None scheduled

Trading update Burberry Group, Dialight, Fresnillo, Evraz, Hargreaves Lansdown, Hunting, Noble Corporation, Persimmon, Polymetal International, Reckitt Benckiser

Economics UK unemployment figures for March, UK average earnings for February, China DGP figures for Q1, China industrial production, fixed asset investment and retail sales for March, Eurozone CPI for March, ECB non-rate meeting, US housing starts, Federal Reserve chairman Janet Yellen to speak at Economic Club of New York

Meetings Babcock International Group (EGM), Bunzl (AGM), CLS Holdings (AGM), Dialight (AGM), EP Global Opportunities Trust (AGM), Hunting (AGM), Persimmon (AGM), Regenersis (EGM), Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust (EGM)

Thursday April 17

Full-year results None scheduled

Interim results None scheduled

Trading update Diageo, Ferrexpo, Lavendon Group, NCC Group

Economics Japan’s consumer confidence figures for March, Germany’s PPI figures for March

Meetings Aberdeen Smaller Companies High Income Trust (AGM), Breedon Aggregates (AGM), Lavendon Group (AGM)

Friday April 18

Full-year results None scheduled

Interim results None scheduled

Trading update None scheduled

Economics Japan’s trade balance for March, Chinese property prices for March

Meetings None scheduled

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