Fast Europe Open: Germany CPI, EU industrial production

Here’s one more macroeconomic inflection point to stack on top of all the others that are already queued up: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will hold their first meeting in April.

The Chinese president will head to Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida next month for the pair’s first face-to-face encounter. Mr Trump had reserved particular vitriol for China on the campaign trail, accusing it of unfair trade policies and criticising Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea.

So that should be fun.

In Asia Pacific equities, Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 index is heading into the close basically flat, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index is likewise unmoved and Tokyo’s Topix index is off 0.1 per cent.

Futures tip the FTSE 100 to open flat in London, while the S&P 500 is expected to dip 0.1 per cent when trading begins in New York.

Corporate earnings reports out today include Prudential Gym Group, French Connection, Antofagasta, Close Bros and Ocado.

The economic calendar for Tuesday is feeling a touch inflated (all times London):

• 07.00: Germany consumer price inflation (final)
• 08.00: Spain consumer price inflation (final)
• 08.30: Sweden consumer price inflation
• 10.00: EU industrial production
• 13.00: Poland consumer price inflation
• 13.20: German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble speech on municipal finances