UK inflation in February is likely to have fallen further away from the Bank of England's two per cent target, economists predict ahead of the figures due out on Tuesday.

Consumer prices are expected to have dropped to 1.7% year-on-year in February, compared to 1.9% a month earlier.

On the month, consumer prices are projected to have risen in February by 0.5% from January when they declined 0.6%.

A fall in inflation is likely to support the central bank's message that it will keep interest rates at the record low of 0.5% for some time.

Other economic data releases tomorrow include US consumer confidence and new home sales, and German Ifo business confidence.

On the company front, easyJet will release a pre-close trading statement.

"The key, we believe, will be the outlook statement with regards to the peak summer trading period," said Numis.

"There are some concerns about capacity creeping back into the market as European economies recover, but we believe the EasyJet remains well place to drive continued strong yield growth due to: the quality of its network (the right slots at slot-restricted airports); the opportunity to take further share from legacy carriers; increased business traffic as work done with the GDS providers and travel management companies bears fruit; and, yield managing allocated seating."

Fellow FTSE 100 company Carnival also releases a trading statement tomorrow while 888 Holdings reports its finals.

Tuesday March 25th

INTERIMS
EpiStem Holdings, Nanoco Group, Sinclair Is Pharma, Wolseley

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ibex Global Solutions

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Confidence (US) (14:00)
House Price Index (US) (14:00)
IFO Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (14:00)

FINALS
888 Holdings, Accesso Technology Group, Augean, Barr (A.G.), Concurrent Technologies, Corero NetworkSecurity, Faroe Petroleum, JSC Halyk Bank GDR (Reg S), Kingfisher, Mar City, Mission Marketing Group, ProPhotonix (Reg S), Quixant, S & U, Ubisense Group

ANNUAL REPORT
Morgan Sindall Group, Spectris

IMSS
Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 2 A Shares

EGMS
Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd.

AGMS
Aukett Fitzroy Robinson Group, Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 1, Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 1 A Shares, Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 2, Horizonte Minerals, Innovation Group, Low & Bonar, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, W H Ireland Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Topps Tiles

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BBA Mortgage Lending Figures (09:30)
CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)
Consumer Price Index (09:30)
Producer Price Index (09:30)
Retail Price Index (09:30)

RD

Related share prices
easyJet (EZJ) share price
Carnival (CCL) share price
888 Holdings (888) share price