Tuesday preview: Chinese activity data, SSP Group in the spotlight

Investors' focus at the end of the week will shift towards Asia, as Chinese authorities release a raft of economic indicators for the month of November.

Data covering fixed asset investment, industrial production and retail sales are all expected to show a further pick up in activity.

On home shores meanwhile, unemployment data from the Office for National Statistics due out at 0700 GMT are expected to show a moderate increase in the jobless rate, from September's print of 4.8% to 5.1% for October.

Across the Channel meanwhile, European Central Bank chief economist, Philip Lane, is due to take to the podium at 1400 GMT.

A quarter of an hour later attention will turn to US industrial production figures for November.

For SSP Group's full-year results, UBS's Louise Wiseur has penciled-in sales of £1.43bn, on the back of a roughly 86% fall in second half revenues.

As a result, underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation at the catering giant were pegged to come in at -£107m, with earnings before interest and tax on the same basis seen at -£217m.

Tuesday 15 December

INTERIMS

Purplebricks Group, Ramsdens Holdings

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Volex

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Canadian General Investments Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Industrial Production (US) (14:15)

FINALS

Chemring Group, Driver Group, Shaftesbury

ANNUAL REPORT

Ramsdens Holdings

AGMS

Applied Graphene Materials , Blancco Technology Group, International Biotech Trust, Sareum Holdings, Tristel

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

IG Group Holdings

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aeci 5 1/2% Prf, Asia Dragon Trust , Craneware, Pan African Resources