US stimulus bill, English schools reopen, ECB sets policy

US stimulus bill, English schools reopen, ECB sets policy

The week begins with the US on the cusp of securing approval for a $1.9tn stimulus package that Joe Biden hopes will give a fresh jolt to the global recovery. However, any unintended jump in inflation could unsettle markets and this will add emphasis to the week's US and Chinese data releases. England's schools reopen in the first stage of the easing of pandemic restrictions and the UK also has GDP, industrial and trade data out. We have earnings from well-known names such as Pearson, Rolls-Royce, Just Eat Takeaway, Morrisons, Standard Life, Legal & General and ITV. The European Central Bank meets to set policy this week, when the recent rise in government bond yields will be in focus.

US stimulus package

Joe Biden is on the brink of securing final approval from Congress for his $1.9tn stimulus bill “” a bet that massive fiscal intervention aimed at lower and middle-class families will speed up America's recovery without overheating the economy.

After the US Senate voted to approve the package on Saturday, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives is poised to give its final green light to the bill on Tuesday, allowing it to be signed into law by Biden.

Barring any last-minute trouble in