TORONTO -- Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

Investment conference

The Royal Bank holds its Canadian automotive, industrials and transportation conference this week. Scheduled to appear are Canadian National Railway Co. on Tuesday and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. on Wednesday. The railways are in a takeover fight for U.S. railway Kansas City Southern.

Inflation reading

Statistics Canada will release is consumer price index for April on Wednesday. The annual pace of inflation picked up in March as prices were compared with a year ago during the start of the pandemic.

Canadian Club speeches

The Canadian Club Toronto is hosting a virtual event with Grant Vingoe, chair and chief executive of the Ontario Securities Commission on Wednesday, followed by an even Thursday with Ian Scott, chair and CEO of the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission.

Financial system review

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem will hold a news conference Thursday to discuss the financial system review which will include a detailed look at developments in the financial system and an analysis of policy directions in the financial sector.

Retail sales

Statistics Canada will release retail sales numbers for March on Friday. In a preliminary estimate for March, Statistics Canada pointed to a gain of 2.3 per cent for the month, but cautioned the figure would be revised.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2021.