Week ahead: Bank of England in the spotlight
All eyes over the coming week will be on the Bank of England as rate-setters on the Monetary Policy Committee update markets on their views.
Despite the recent shift in policy bias by the US Federal Reserve, partial recovery in risk assets and improved headlines around the US-China trade talks, some economists believe that Bank is set to downgrade its forecasts both for growth overseas and at home.
Since the last Inflation Report was published, in November, speculation has also grown that Chinese authorities will step up their policy support for the economy, that the European Central Bank might delay its first rate hike and oil prices have fallen back.
But given all of the above, will the MPC continue to sound a hawkish note, as it did at the time of the last quarterly IR?
Samuel Tombs believes Bank may well break its 'radio silence' with a hawkish message, possibly catching some investors on the hop.
Indeed, since the November IR, speeches from the MPC's members had been few and far between and markets had moved to price-in just 50% odds for a 25 basis point interest rate hike from the MPC by end-2019.
Stateside meanwhile, the focus for markets would continue to be on the ongoing steady stream of corporate results, alongside speeches from various top Fed officials, including US central bank chair, Jerome Powell, himself, on Thursday, and his number two, Richard Clarida, during the following session.
To take note of, policymakers from at least nine other central banks were set to meet to decide on interest rates throughout the week, including the Reserve Bank of Australia, on Tuesday, Brazil's on Wednesday and India's on Thursday.
Monday February 04
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BT Group, Dart Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
Q3
Ryanair Holdings, Ryanair Holdings
AGMS
CC Japan Income & Growth Trust, Sealand Capital Galaxy Limited (DI)
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Britvic, ITE Group, Topps Tiles, UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company
Tuesday February 05
INTERIMS
Mattioli Woods
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Johnson Matthey
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)
PMI Composite (GER) (08:30)
PMI Composite (US) (14:45)
PMI Services (EU) (09:00)
PMI Services (GER) (08:55)
PMI Services (US) (14:45)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
Amino Technologies, BP, Ocado Group, RM, St. Modwen Properties
AGMS
Dewhurst, Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, Numis Corporation, Ten Lifestyle Group
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Greencore Group
Wednesday February 06
INTERIMS
Barratt Developments, Frontier Developments, Redrow
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ashtead Group, Halma, Workspace Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, JPMorgan Japan Smaller Companies Trust
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Construction Spending (US) (15:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
GMS
Royal Bank of Scotland Group
AGMS
Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Imperial Brands , Income & Growth VCT , Port Erin Biopharma Investments Ltd, Premier Asset Management Group, Stride Gaming, Victrex plc, Zytronic
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
CYBG , DP Poland, Electrocomponents, S&U, Severn Trent, Victrex plc
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Brewin Dolphin Holdings, JPMorgan Chinese Inv Trust, Netcall, Stride Gaming
Thursday February 07
INTERIMS
Supermarket Income Reit
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
XPS Pensions Group
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Daejan Holdings, Motorpoint Group, NCC Group, Puma Vct 11
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British American Tobacco
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
IBM Corp., ICG Enterprise Trust, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, SQN Asset Finance Income Fund Limited, SQN Asset Finance Income Fund Limited 'C Shares', SQN Secured Income Fund
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
Q4
Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), Smith & Nephew
FINALS
Beazley, Kcell Joint Stock Co GDR (Reg S), Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), Sampo OYJ, Smith & Nephew
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust
AGMS
Compass Group, easyJet, EI Group, Future, Nektan (DI), OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S), On The Beach Group , Thomas Cook Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bellway, Compass Group, Cranswick, EI Group, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Superdry
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)
Halifax House Price Index (08:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Baronsmead Second Venture Trust, Baronsmead Venture Trust, Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Catco Reinsurance Opportunities Fund Limited C Shs (DI), Catco Reinsurance Opportunities Fund Ltd (DI), Elegant Hotels Group , Impax Asset Management Group, JPMorgan Russian Securities, Nexus Infrastructure , Sage Group, Stock Spirits Group , Treatt, Zytronic
Q1
Thomas Cook Group
Friday February 08
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bisichi Mining, QinetiQ Group, Stenprop Limited
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, British Land Company, Supermarket Income Reit
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (13:30)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BowLeven
AGMS
Cerillion , Shaftesbury
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
GDP (Preliminary) (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Countryside Properties, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Henderson European Focus Trust, Numis Corporation