In case you are studying this within the northern hemisphere — and subscribe to meteorological definition of the seasons — the excellent news is that we’re quickly heading into spring. And just like the promise of hotter and longer days (to not point out daffodils for St David’s Day on Wednesday), there’s some cause for cheer amid the information diary gloom.

However first, the actually miserable one. Few want reminding concerning the battle in Ukraine, however it’s value noting — and little doubt shall be by different media retailers — that Monday is the ninth anniversary of the pro-Russian rebellion in Crimea that led to the annexation of the peninsula. In order for you some thought of a means ahead, I’d advocate the Weekend essay on what the Chilly Struggle taught us about containing Russia.

Additionally on Monday, British households will get some readability (and maybe excellent news) on the place their gasoline payments are heading when Ofgem updates its vitality value cap for the approaching quarter. The common annual UK home cost had been anticipated to rise £500 to £3,000 (decrease than Ofgem’s headline determine, due to the federal government’s Vitality Value Assure), and confidence is rising that this higher restrict shall be frozen after heavy lobbying from campaigners.

The outlook is blended for that different rolling UK story: the surge in strikes. A shock drop in public sector borrowing has introduced hope of a decision to most of the pay disputes, however the scenario stays sophisticated.

Some motion as a result of happen this week has been postponed to allow negotiations on settlements, whereas others (such because the TSSA rail union) have authorized presents. However we begin on Monday with but extra stroll outs and a risk of latest disputes bobbing up because the deadline for ballots amongst NHS consultants and rail employees conclude on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

So what about some unashamed excellent news? Properly, for astronauts the one means is up. Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the Worldwide House Station is because of launch from the Kennedy House Middle in Florida early on Monday morning native time. You’ll be able to observe occasions stay on the company’s web site.

Thanks for all those that acquired in contact throughout my break final week — GCSE mocks have began at our kids’s college, and we’ve even had some (optimistic) outcomes again. Get in contact with any feedback you could have about this or different gadgets on this notice by emailing me at jonathan.moules@ft.com or, if you’re studying this on e mail your self, hitting reply.

Corporations

One season drawing to an in depth is the earnings one.

One to look at shall be Salesforce on Wednesday because the activist buyers circle. The core downside has been a scarcity of consideration to revenue margins on the expense of progress — Wall Avenue has complained about this for years, however the software program firm’s progress was all the time sufficient to fend off the naysayers. Sadly for co-founder and chief government Marc Benioff, progress has taken a dip (see the chart beneath) leaving him uncovered — and the job cuts, whereas vital, to date don’t go far sufficient.

The total-year outcomes from Serco have been supposed to come back final Thursday, however a request by auditors KPMG for extra time means they may now be out on Tuesday. Buyers and analysts shall be listening rigorously to lately appointed chief government Mark Irwin in case he heralds a change in course for the outsourcer.

Rival Capita, which studies two days later, has been disposing its non-core companies to boost money, so be careful for an replace on this.

This week additionally sees the annual gathering of cellular telecoms trade executives and tech fanatics in Barcelona for the MWC commerce present, providing an opportunity for chief executives to touch upon the longer term course of the wi-fi networked world and corporations to launch new digital toys.

Financial information

It’s a quieter week for financial information studies with inflation and GDP updates the commonest gadgets. One other set of buying managers’ index (PMI) studies, this time for manufacturing, will add to the worldwide comparisons of financial efficiency, though much less use for observers of the UK’s efficiency than final week’s companies PMI information.

The minutes of the final European Central Financial institution Governing Council financial coverage committee assembly and the US and eurozone shopper confidence figures might assist present some indication of future rate of interest actions on both aspect of the Atlantic.

Learn the total week forward calendar right here.