Wednesday preview: UK CPI, IFO index in focus

The market spotlight on Wednesday will remain on the UK as investors digest the latest monthly consumer price data.

Analysts at Barclays Research expect consumer price data from the Office for National Statistics at 0930 GMT to reveal a one tenth of a percentage point drop in the cost of living in Britain, both at the headline and at the core level, for the month of November.

The headline rate of CPI gains is seen easing from 1.5% for October to 1.4% in November, while excluding food and energy, the pace of inflation is seen slowing from 1.7% to 1.6%.

Across the Channel meanwhile, Germany's IFO institute will release its closely-followed business confidence index referencing the month of December.

In the States meanwhile, the sole reference for traders will be a pair of speeches from one of the Federal Reserve's governors, Lael Brainard, at 0515 GMT, followed by another from Chicago Fed boss, Charles Evans, at 1240 GMT.

Wednesday 18 December

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Creightons, Investec

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B'

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (16:00)

IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)

IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)

IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

EGMS

Qannas Investments Limited (DI)

AGMS

GCM Resources, Northamber, Northern Venture Trust

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (09:30)

Retail Price Index (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberdeen Frontier Markets Investment Company, Volution Group