Week Ahead: Reckitt Benckiser's Struggle | Tesla’s job cuts | US Oilers | Swiss Quality Spotlight
Good morning and welcome to the Week Ahead, your weekly destination for discussion and analysis of the largest stocks in the UK and overseas.
Earlier this month the UK surprised markets with lower-than-expected inflation figures for March, hitting a two-year low at 3.2%. This outcome contrasts notably with the persistent inflationary pressures seen in the US, where CPI remains higher at 3.5%. The differing inflation dynamics between the two countries are now being reflected in the performances of their respective leading indices. Following these announcements, the FTSE 100 has maintained its positive trend returning just over 1% while the Samp;P 500 has recorded a decline of over 4.5%.
Looking ahead, this week presents a relatively subdued macroeconomic calendar, featuring releases such as the UK CBI Industrial Trends on Monday and US Jobless Claims on Thursday. However, the focus shifts decisively to corporate earnings, particularly in the US, where several members of the "Magnificent 7" and industry heavyweights like IBM, Visa, Boeing, and Exxon Mobil are set to report.
In the UK, attention will be on updates from key sectors, including housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon, as well as consumer goods giants Reckitt Benckiser and Unilever. The banking sector's...