Week ahead: Chinese data, SPD vote in focus

Over the coming week, the market spotlight will be on a barrage of Chinese economic data and a key vote by delegates from Germany's Socialist party on whether to move ahead with formal negotiations to forge a grand coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU.

A reading on the rate of growth in China's gross domestic product during the fourth quarter is set for release on Thursday, alongside readings on retail sales and industrial production for December.

Back in the UK, reports on consumer level inflation and retail sales for December will have to compete with the ongoing news-flow around Brexit, which as the Bank of England has long pointed out is the main risk factor on the horizon for the entire economy.

In the Eurozone, the SPD vote at the special convention scheduled for 21 January easily dwarfs in importance all other events and reports on the calendar for next week.

Over in the States, the main data release will be the Federal Reserve bank of Philadelphia's manufacturing sector gauge for January, on Thursday.

Elsewehere, on Wednesday the Bank of Canada is expected to hike its main policy interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.25%.

Monday January 15

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Discoverie Group

FINALS
Watkin Jones

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Datatec Ltd. (DI), Ferrexpo

EGMS
PCG Entertainment (DI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Barloworld Ltd.

Tuesday January 16

INTERIMS
1pm, K3 Capital Group , NCC Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Babcock International Group, Lazard World Trust Fund

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

GMS
Tavistock Investments

DRILLING REPORT
Rio Tinto

EGMS
Plus500 Ltd (DI)

AGMS
Baring Emerging Europe, Polo Resources Ltd. (DI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ashmore Group, Dunelm Group, Greggs, Greggs, JD Sports Fashion, Ophir Energy, Premier Foods, The Gym Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (09:30)

Wednesday January 17

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Assura

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

DRILLING REPORT
BHP Billiton, Hochschild Mining

EGMS
China New Energy Limited

AGMS
Diploma, Majedie Investments

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Burberry Group, City of London Investment Group, Clinigen Group, Henry Boot, Secure Trust Bank

Q1
Diploma

Thursday January 18

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Circle Property , IG Design Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Ashtead Group, Consort Medical, Fletcher King, Micro Focus International, Ramsdens Holdings , SSE, Superdry

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
F&C Commercial Property Trust Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (16:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Q3
Experian

AGMS
Avacta Group, Cardiff Property, Equatorial Palm Oil, Keystone Inv Trust, Standard Life Equity Income Trust

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Associated British Foods, Bakkavor Group , Chemring Group, Evraz, Experian, Halfords Group, Headlam Group, Ibstock , Royal Mail, Ten Entertainment Group , Ten Entertainment Group , Whitbread, William Hill, Workspace Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. GDR (Reg S), Northamber

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Autins Group, Compass Group, CYBG , Dewhurst, Dewhurst (Non-Voting), Dunedin Smaller Companies Inv Trust, easyHotel, Shaftesbury, Titon Holdings

Friday January 19

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Charles Stanley Group, Greene King, Halfords Group, JPMorgan Euro Small Co. Trust, Morses Club , Octopus AIM VCT, Sirius Real Estate Ltd., United Carpets Group, Vertu Motors, Zhejiang Expressway Co 'H' Shares

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

EGMS
PJSC Megafon GDR (Reg S)

AGMS
Character Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Record

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Retail Sales (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Debenhams, Focusrite, Gattaca, Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust