Week ahead: Omicron updates, US inflation in the spotlight
All eyes over the coming week will be on updates from the World Health Organisation and South African officials regarding the latest findings on the Omicron variant of Covid-19, with the former expected on Monday.
It is against that backdrop, which may not yield all of the information that investors need to know, that they will have to interpret consumer price data due out in the US on Friday.
Worth noting, consensus is for another leg higher in US inflation with the annual rate of CPI seen hitting 6.8% in November, against an October print of 6.2%.
CPI releases are also scheduled in China and Germany, on Wednesday, as are monthly foreign trade figures from the former on Monday.
Interest rate decisions Down Under and in Canada will also be closely watched, on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Friday will also be the big day on home shores, with the Office for National Statistics set to publish its estimates for gross domestic product in October.
Monday 06 December
INTERIMS
Fusion Antibodies , The Fulham Shore, Versarien
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Balfour Beatty, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (DI), Edge Performance VCT 'I' Shares
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited NPV, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.NPV (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
EGMS
CVC Credit Partners European Opportunities Ltd GBP, Myanmar Strategic Holdings Limited NPV (DI)
AGMS
Amur Minerals Corporation NPV, Bellway, Emmerson NPV, Pipehawk, Virgin Wines UK
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust
Tuesday 07 December
INTERIMS
Babcock International Group, Iomart Group, Kinovo , Mercia Asset Management, SDI Group , Solid State, Supreme , Vianet Group, W H Ireland Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hammerson
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)
FINALS
CareTech Holding, Hyve Group, Ixico, Paragon Banking Group, Renew Holdings, Tritax Eurobox (GBP), Zytronic
AGMS
Amedeo Air Four Plus Limited Red Ord NPV, Applied Graphene Materials , Falanx Group Ltd, IMC Exploration Group (CDI), Schroder Japan Growth Fund, Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust, YouGov
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halifax House Price Index (07:00)
Retail Sales (00:01)
Q1
Renalytix (Reg S)
Wednesday 08 December
INTERIMS
Berkeley Group Holdings (The), Ince Group (The), Quiz
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fidelity Asian Values, Inspired
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
FINALS
Hardide, Numis Corporation, SSP Group , TUI AG Reg Shs (DI)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Thinksmart Limited (DI)
EGMS
Societatea Energetica Electrica SA GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Alternative Liquidity Fund Limited, Ashoka India Equity Investment Trust, Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings), Gattaca, International Biotech Trust, Volta Finance Limited NPV (GBP)
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
McColl's Retail Group
Thursday 09 December
INTERIMS
Clipper Logistics , DWF Group , LendInvest , Moonpig Group , Smith (DS), Watches of Switzerland Group
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, Aquila Services Group, Argentex Group , Caffyns, Charles Stanley Group, Circle Property , Cropper (James), D4T4 Solutions, Halfords Group, Homeserve, IG Design Group, Investec, Mobeus Income & Growth 2 Vct, NewRiver REIT, Redde Northgate, Severfield, Speedy Hire, Triple Point Income VCT C, Triple Point Income VCT D, Triple Point Income VCT E, Triple Point Vct 2011 A, VP
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Seplat Energy (DI)
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Assura , BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, XP Power Ltd. (DI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)
GMS
Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)
FINALS
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust, On The Beach Group , Victorian Plumbing Group
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Albion Venture Capital Trust, River and Mercantile Group
EGMS
Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Bioventix, BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, Doric Nimrod Air One Ltd, Doric Nimrod Air Three Limited Red Ord Pref Shs Npv, Doric Nimrod Air Two Ltd Pref Shs Npv, Frontier IP Group, Lok'n Store Group, Orchard Funding Group , Ridgecrest , Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited NPV, UK Mortgages Limited , Volution Group, Westmount Energy Ltd.
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balfour Beatty, Rolls-Royce Holdings
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Springfield Properties
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aeci 5 1/2% Prf, BATM Advanced Communications Ltd., London Finance & Investment Group, Orchard Funding Group , Oxford Metrics, River and Mercantile Group
Friday 10 December
INTERIMS
SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Airtel Africa , Cake Box Holdings, DCC (CDI), Genel Energy, ProVen Growth & Income VCT, ProVen VCT, VH Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Brunner Inv Trust, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION COM STK USD0.20 (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)
U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)
FINALS
Nexus Infrastructure
ANNUAL REPORT
Diploma
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
River and Mercantile Group
EGMS
Star Phoenix Group Ltd NPV (DI)
AGMS
Associated British Foods, Up Global Sourcing Holdings
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (07:00)
Gross Domestic Product (07:00)
Index of Services (07:00)
Industrial Production (07:00)
Manufacturing Production (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ashmore Group, Avingtrans, Ferguson, Galliford Try, Genus, NWF Group, Schroder Japan Growth Fund, SCS Group