What you need to know before the open
A late selloff on US markets Friday is expected to mean a lower open for European bourses today, despite a strong finish last week.
Data in this morning show industrial production in Germany expanded by more than expected in February – by 0.4 per cent.
This was marginally less than the 0.7 per cent growth seen in the sector in January and a decrease year-on-year – from 4.9 per cent in January to 4.8 per cent.
But the numbers, says Berenberg’s Christian Schulz, show Germany’s economy had a “super-strong winter quarter”.
Corporate news
Cement giants Holcim and Lafarge have outlined the details of their proposed merger, agreeing to create a company with a combined market value of $50bn (£30bn).
French firm Altice has agreed to buy Carlyle and Cinven’s 34.6 per cent combined stake in Numericable, lifting its ownership to 74.6 per cent.
Barclays says it's come to an agreement to sell its UAE retail banking unit to Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank for £107m.
Meanwhile, Cranswick, the pork specialist, has reported robust 2013 results on the back of acquisitions which have upped its pig rearing activity.
And complaints about energy suppliers have surged by 224 per cent so far this year, according to the sector’s ombudsman.
Data in focus
- 9.30am: EU April Sentix investor confidence
- 8.00pm: US Feb consumer credit change