The week ahead: Jobs data is potential flashpoint

There's a smattering of company reports pencilled in for the second four-day week of May, so unless we see some unscheduled updates, US jobs data will be the main focus.

Monday 28 May

UK market shut for another Bank Holiday

Tuesday 29 May

Trading Statements

Bank of Cyprus, Frutarom Industries, Renold

AGM/EGM

Eddie Stobart Logistics, Standard Life Aberdeen, TCS Group Holding

Wednesday 30 May

Trading Statements

TCS Group Holding, Oxford Metrics, Trans-Siberian Gold, De La Rue, LondonMetric Property

AGM/EGM

Royal Bank of Scotland, Crusader Resources, Safestyle UK

Thursday 31 May

Trading statements

Urban & Civic, FirstGroup, Air Partner, Johnson Matthey, Card Factory

AGM/EGM

LB-Shell, Faron Pharmaceuticals, Brady, e-Therapeutics, Coca-Cola European Partners

Friday 1 June

US non-farm payrolls are released Friday. Look for a 185,000 increase in jobs in May.

Minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest meeting appeared to reduce the risk of a policy mistake in the US. Inflation is no reason for sleepless nights and there seems little chance that rate-setters will hike more than three times this year.

A big jobs number here might go some way to changing the thinking, although it's unlikely.

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