S&P Futures

KLM carried 8% more traffic last month on increasing signs that International long haul traffic is increasing.

Sainsbury shares may rise on buyout rumours.

Marks & Spencer may say that growth has stalled when it reports Q4 sales later this month, Chief Executive Roger Holmes may have concluded that the recovery instigated by Chairman Luc Vandevelde has finished and further growth requires "radical change". Last week they announced they would shed about a fifth of its head office and financial services' workforce.

Brascan has extended its offer for British property firm Canary Wharf by six days until April 8

Carillion (CLLN) has signed a five year agreement with railway operator Network Rail for the renewal of tracks, switches and crossings. The contract, which starts this month, is valued at around 50 million pounds in the first year.

Balfour Beatty (BBY) has been awarded a number of five-year track, switches and crossings renewals contracts likely to be worth more than 500 million pounds with 113 million pounds in the first year.

 Burren Energy (F), Chaucer Holdings (F),

Havelock Europa (F), Zi Medical (F)

British Airways (Traffic Update)

08:30 Feb Industrial Production,Manufacturing Output

15:00 ISM Services Mar - 61.0

Koenig & Bauer (F), KLM (Traffic Update)

Trading Thoughts For The Week Ahead  -  Sunday 4th April

Last week all major index's finished the week with big gains. The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI gained 2.5 percent, S&P rose 3 percent, and the Nasdaq gained 5 percent. In the U.S strong jobs data raised speculation the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates as soon as this summer and sent bond yields sharply higher on Friday.

A further reminder of terrorism came on Friday with the failed bid to bomb a high-speed rail line in Spain and the killing of four American contractors in Iraq. UK companies accepting contracts there are in for a difficult time... Next week the U.S starts the new quarter with a few large players reporting such as General Electric whereas in the U.K only smaller companies take the spotlight.MondayBurren Energy oil and gas explorer that floated last December are expected to report sparkling first year resultsIn the U.S watch out for the Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing survey barometer of the services sector.Tuesday

Bellway house builder is likely to post its eighth consecutive year of record results by posting interims at the top end of expectations. Over the last 6 months it has increased the number of homes sold by 10.4% and average selling prices by 6.5% on a year ago. Look for profits of 69m compared with 57.1m a year agoHighbury House magazines (FastCar magazine and What Satellite & Digital TV) are expected a drop in profits to 7.3m from 9.8m last year due to tough trading conditions and restructuring costs.New Look clothing retailer make a trading statement after the very poor sales at Xmas. Look out for further news of the groups founder Tom Singh's attempt to make a bid for the group. Fibernet give half year results after a strong first quarter. Investors will be looking for news on when the company expect to achieve profitability.Wednesday

Rio Tinto's AGM will provide the main corporate news for the week.PHS hand dryers to office pot plants group said earlier in the year that it was on the lookout for further acquisitions after completing a 100m investment program ahead of schedule. The market is looking for a leap in profits to 43m compared with 36m a year ago. James Beattie departmental stores have been suffering from competition which may lead to a drop in profits from 7m to under 5 million this year despite new store openings.Brammer industrial bearings and chain group recently completed the sale of its telecoms equipment business Livingston for 9.9 million so it can now concentrate on its core business. Look for a rise in profits to 6.6m from 6m and news of further expansion of the business into eastern European markets. Thursday

UK March retails sales figures from the British Retail Consortium may give a lift to shares after the dire news from the CBI last week. Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee may well decide to raise base rates from 4.0 percent following the strong housing market and high consumer debt.

Thoughts

The market is set for a  slow down ahead of the long Easter weekend with few major results or announcements.

On Friday the US markets rose after the UK closes so we should see gains here on Monday morning. On the other hand we are at the top of the 10 day Intraday so I expect any early rise on Monday morning to be followed by a fall back. Certainly I do not have much confidence in it either way but the further terrorism in Spain this weekend may further subdue the markets.

Over the longer term the S&P has managed to regain the 1 year up channel but we have just gone through the 500 day cycle which caused some market nervousness and led to the fall below the support.  This fall back and corresponding rise in March caught out many traders last month and led to many margin calls. If you had a bad month you were not alone!

For every one who posts to the thread we have 20 who just read it, if you are one of them please join in the BB and say 'Hello'

A good Easter week to you all

David@SnappyTrader.com  www.SnappyTrader.com  All the above comments are purely a personal opinion and no investment advice is intended.  Please do your own research.

Sunday Newspapers

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is interested in making a bid for UK supermarket group J Sainsbury, the Observer reports, citing sources close to the New York-based firm

Economists are divided on whether the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee will raise interest rates this week. Some commentators argue that a rate rise is needed immediately to cool the booming housing market. One of America's biggest ever corporate corruption trials has collapsed after a juror received a threatening letter. Tyco's former chairman Dennis Kozlowski and the company's ex-finance chief Mark Swartz were on trial for allegedly siphoning off $600m from the company. BP, A 450 million-dollar gas-fired power plant in Vietnam built and owned by British energy giant BP and other foreign investors was officially opened. House prices across Britain rose by 2.2% last month, according to Halifax, the country's biggest mortgage lender. This left them standing some 18.5% higher in the latest quarter compared with 12 months ago, it says. Russian markets are both exciting and risky. Russia, once a superpower, then a collapsed empire, is rising again. M&S They may be a little short of customers for their clothing ranges, but no-one could accuse them of skimping on head offices.

Judgment Day: Should you buy shares in Topps Tiles? Cadbury Schweppes, Chocolate firms make dash for Easter profits Focus: Mayflower, The rise and fall of Emperor Ming Marks & Spencer Group Not such bright Sparks Directors' Deals: Carphone co-founder rings up a profit Motorway madness for Man U Should you buy shares in Independent News & Media? United Business Media, Citywire reveals secret City deals Sharewatch: Havelock Europa, An educated rise

Shell quits Spain and Portugal

WPP Sorrell's $80m Savoy showdown Mayflower Corporation How did Major get it so wrong? City comment: WPP Three in a featherbed romp Royal Bank's secret jet

Vodafone to cut red tape Mayflower set for grilling

OBSERVER Reality check as high-flying BA execs go back to basics Manchester United chases 'retro' fans Wall Street 'barbarians' at Sainsbury's gate ITV champion backs 21m pay deal for ITV chief

LSE The times they are Exchangin' M&S: about to get a fillip? Legal & General 'We don't have the option of selling'

MAIL ON SUNDAY Cazenove, Queen's broker goes up for sale Thompson in line for top Camelot job Standard Life swamped by complaints Beano backs Waterstone 62m deal Sales chill sets in at Iceland Asil Nadir fights for his pension Mayflower bosses' pension safety net Shell chief 'had a private army' GSK and Astra building alliances, Drugs giants join the trail to India

Easter egg war breaks out in stores, Sainsbury's rolls out lower prices Ousted boss to swoop for PlaneStation Scottish dairy firm, Wiseman creams off the business Taube takes note of De La Rue Bellway set for Liverpool rebuilding, on course for 20% profit rise Tesco facing whale meat boycott, over sales in Japan Staff walkouts loom at Sainsbury

Bank on brink of raising interest rate, 4.75% expected by end of the year

INDEPENDENT  BP Oil giants boycott Iraq talks Chrysalis Group Overworked Ofcom is slated by the industry Mayflower Corporation Major loses 212,000

Centrica Overworked Ofcom is slated by the industry SMG Overworked Ofcom is slated by the industry  

SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY  Mayflower Management buyout bid lined up to rescue TransBus Stagecoach Group Back in gear to battle for the buses Scipher Fife screen factory has saver Axis-Shield Scots directors invest 2.8m in vote of confidence in own firms BP stages some dazzling tricks as Shell takes strain Beattie to run with Leeds PR ball M&S Retailers take centre stage as City prepares for rates rise

Macfarlane Group Wrapped up with optimism

HBoS lends Cala 120m to fund development New blood has to make the grade at SMG ITV production company stands by its record Trade war trap for Wolfson Microelectronics Tepnel biotech relocates to Livingston

INVESTORS CHRONICLE Tips: Tips:Buy Bovis (BVS) at 598p - Antisoma (ASM) at 41p - Churchill China (CHH) at 207p - Erinacious (ERG) at 130p. Sell Manchester United (MNU) at 246p.Updates: Keep buying iSoft (IOT) and Kensington (KGN), Buy Monterrico Metals (MNA), Parkdean (PDH) is good value. Peacock (PEA) is overpriced.Company Results: Buy Oystertec (OYS) - Cape (CIU) - 4Imprint (FOUR).The Best of the Privatisation Shares: BAA (BAA) - BG (BG) - Scottish Power (SPW) - Forth Ports (FPT) - BP (BP) - BAE Systems (BA).

SHARES MAGAZINE Plays of the Week: Buy easyJet (EZJ) at 302.25p - Biocompatibles International (BII) at 207p - ATA Group (ATP) at 106p - XKO Group (XKO) at 85p.Updates: Buy 4Imprint (FOUR), Sell Telecom Plus (TEP), Hold Ideal Shopping (IDS).The Analysis Section: William Morrison (MRW) - Sci Entertainment (SEG).Further news: ITM Power is looking to list on AIM.