Week ahead: Fed´s Yellen, China data in focus

The key risk event over the coming week is expected to be Wednesday´s Humphrey Hawkins testimony from Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen before the US House of Representatives´ Financial Services Committee.

With just over two months to go until the Federal Open Market Committee´s March meeting, Ms. Yellen´s speech and answers in the follow-up questions and answers session will be parsed by investors for any clues on the likelihood that the Fed might pursue a slower pace of tightening in 2016 than envisaged at the end of last year.

Releases on US retail sales and consumer confidence for January and February, respectively, both due to be published on Friday, may also afford valuable data on just how well consumption spending will hold up at the start of the year.

Next in importance for investors will be the statistical releases due out from China, from Wednesday onwards, on money supply and credit. However, data out on 7 February on the country´s foreign reserves in December may also draw attention.

In the Eurozone, preliminary fourth quarter gross domestic product figures out of Germany on Friday will be worth keeping tabs on, as will Thursday´s Eurogroup meeting where finance ministers are expected to discuss the progress made on Greece´s rescue programme.

Back in the UK, the economic calendar is expected to be quite sparse, with Wednesday´s release of industrial and manufacturing production figures for December being the most relevant releases.

Monday 08 February

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BT Group, Pinewood Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Artemis VCT

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Artemis VCT, Elegant Hotels Group , ITE Group, Lakehouse

Tuesday 09 February

INTERIMS
Redrow

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
IBM Corp.

GMS
Gail (India) Ltd GDR (Reg S)

FINALS
Bank Pekao SA GDS (Reg S), New Europe Property Investments

EGMS
Vast Resources

AGMS
F&C Capital & Income Inv Trust, TUI AG Reg Shs (DI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Mitchells & Butlers

Wednesday 10 February

INTERIMS
Animalcare Group, Dunelm Group, Frontier Developments

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Halma

GMS
Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust

FINALS
Tullow Oil

AGMS
Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust, BMR Mining, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Income & Growth VCT , Port Erin Biopharma Investments Ltd, RWS Holdings, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, Victrex plc

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bellway, Great Portland Estates

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
TUI AG Reg Shs (DI)

Thursday 11 February

INTERIMS
Ashmore Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Conviviality, Mattioli Woods, Murgitroyd Group, Rank Group, VPC Specialty Lending Investments

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BP

Q4
Nokia OYJ

FINALS
Ashmore Group, Henderson Group, Informa, Orange Polska S.A. GDR (Reg S), Rio Tinto

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Impax Asset Management Group, JPMorgan Russian Securities

AGMS
easyJet, Enterprise Inns, Paragon Group Of Companies, Paragon Group Of Companies, Unicorn AIM VCT

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dolphin Capital Investors Ltd, Enterprise Inns, Pennon Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Conygar Investment Company, easyHotel, Euromoney Institutional Investor

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Catco Reinsurance Opportunities Fund Ltd (DI), Dragon-Ukrainian Properties & Development, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Impax Asset Management Group, JPMorgan Russian Securities, Polar Capital Global Financials Trust, Sage Group

Friday 12 February

INTERIMS
Monitise

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Consort Medical, QinetiQ Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British Land Company, Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc.

FINALS
Holders Technology, Rolls-Royce Holdings

AGMS
GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Connect Group, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Dunedin Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Grainger, Octopus VCT 3, Octopus VCT 4, Patisserie Holdings , Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, Shaftesbury, Tracsis