US employment, European prices and Nike report: what investors need to know this week

Investors' attention during this shortened trading week due to the Easter holidays will be attracted primarily by the latest data on employment in the U.S. and inflation in the euro zone: they will give an idea of the impact of the war in Iran and the jump in energy prices on the largest Western economies, writes The Wall Street Journal.

The situation in the Middle East and prospects for a peace settlement will remain the main benchmark for traders. "What will matter most to markets is news on the Iran conflict; macro data will play second fiddle at best," WSJ quoted Investec economist Sandra Horsfield as saying.

In the corporate sector, the most notable event will be the release of Nike's financial results, according to Yahoo Finance.

On Monday, March 30, the eurozone will release the results of business and consumer sentiment surveys for March.

Quarterly earnings will be revealed by Fermi.

Eurostat will release preliminary eurozone inflation data for March on Tuesday, March 31 . "The preliminary estimate of March eurozone inflation is expected to show an increase driven by higher fuel and fertilizer prices on the back of the Middle East conflict," HSBC analysts said, adding that a weaker euro could also increase the cost of imports.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor will release the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report. According to the consensus estimate, the number of open jobs on the last working day of February was 6.8 million, which is 100 thousand fewer than in January, Barron's writes.

The financial results will be reported by Nike.

On Wednesday, April 1, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) will release the March business activity index (PMI) for the U.S. manufacturing sector. The consensus forecast is at 52.3 points, which is almost identical to February's reading.

In the eurozone, data on business activity in the manufacturing sector for March and unemployment will be released.

The quarterly financial report will be disclosed by Conagra Brands.

Acuity Brands will release its financial statements on Thursday, April 2.

On Friday, April 3, the BLS will release the March U.S. employment report. Economists on average forecast a 55,000 increase in non-farm jobs after a 92,000 decline in February. Consensus expects the unemployment rate to remain at 4.4%, Barron's reports.

Equity markets in the U.S. and Europe will be closed due to Good Friday.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor