Tuesday preview: US Q4 employment cost index, China factory PMI in the spotlight

The market spotlight on Tuesday would be on the release of the US employment cost index for the fourth quarter, the last key inflation indicator before the Federal Reserve announced its latest interest rate decision the next day.

Also due out were the results of house price surveys for November and the Chicago PMI report for January.

Against that backdrop, overnight investors would be digesting the 'official' Chinese manufacturing sector Purchasing Managers' Index for January.

In Japan meanwhile, industrial production and unemployment figures for December were set for release.

Those reports out of Asia would be followed at 0700 GMT by UK consumer credit and mortgage approval data for December.

Across the Channel meanwhile, at 1000 GMT Eurostat was scheduled to release a preliminary reading for euro area gross domestic product in the fourth quarter (consensus: 0.0%).

Friday 03 February

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Bisichi , Dr. Martens , Ferguson, Halma, Jet2, JPMorgan European Discovery Trust, QinetiQ Group, Severfield, Vodafone Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

CT UK High Income Trust, CT UK High Income Trust B , TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ISM Services (US) (15:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)

PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)

PMI Composite (US) (14:45)

PMI Services (EU) (09:00)

PMI Services (GER) (08:55)

PMI Services (US) (14:45)

Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI)

AGMS

Catalyst Media Group, Cerillion , Focusrite

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Composite (09:30)

PMI Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Cardiff Property, Catalyst Media Group, Diploma, JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust, Topps Tiles