Financial News

LONDON (ShareCast) - Struggling housebuilder Persimmon (LSE: PSN.L - news) had some long overdue good news for shareholders in April when it said sales volumes in the first 16 weeks of the year had been ahead of expectations, albeit at the cost of margins.

On Tuesday it will be the first of three housebuilders to give a trading update and as such will set the bar for Barratt Developments (LSE: BDEV.L - news) and Bovis Homes which make statements at the end of the week.

In mid-March sector peer Taylor Woodrow said the UK housing market had stabilised since April, while warning about the dampening effect that the fear of unemployment could have on the housing market.

The rise in unemployment has also hit profitability at recruitment firm Michael Page (LSE: MPI.L - news) , which issues a trading update on Tuesday.

The company has around 150 offices in 28 countries so it is not just the UK market where it is hurting. In April it reported a 39% slump in UK gross profits, while Asia-Pacific (002790.KS - news) fell 42% and the Americas almost 23%.

With the economic outlook remaining uncertain employers are increasingly laying off permanent staff and looking to contractors to plug the gaps, so it would be no surprise if Michael Page's temps business were to report steady revenues while the permanents side of the business is likely to be still suffering.

INTERIMS Dialight (LSE: DIA.L - news) , IDOX

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Victrex (LSE: VCT.L - news)

FINALS The Clapham House Group

AGMS 3i Infrastructure, Aberdeen Income & Growth VCT, Alexon Group, BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies EUR Shares, BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies EUR Shares, BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies EUR Shares, BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies GBP Shares, BlackRock Absolute Return Strategies USD Shares, Brown (N.) Group, JPMorgan European Fledgling Inv Trust, Liberty International, ProVen Growth and Income VCT, ProVen Growth and Income VCT 'C' Shares

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Michael Page International, N. Brown, Persimmon

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Keydata AIM VCT 2 (LSE: KEYT.L - news)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Industrial Production (09:30) Manufacturing Output (09:30)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Trade Balance (FRA) (07:45) Factory Orders (GER) (11:00)