Week ahead: UK industrial production and trade figures in the spotlight
Data over the coming week was expected to taper off given the multiple high-frequency indicators and central bank meetings around the world over the prior seven-day stretch.
In the UK, the main data release would be Friday's industrial production figures for December, which were expected to reveal some payback after the very strong November print, with total output seen higher by 0.3% over the month after a 1.3% jump in November.
While the latest survey evidence had been largely upbeat, going forward demand for capital goods was expected to be constrained by "slowing UK economic activity and by mounting uncertainties over the Brexit process," Dr.Howard Archer, chief European and UK economist at IHS Global Insight said in a research report sent to clients.
House price data from Halifax and the British Retail Consortium were expected to reveal similarly muted outcomes, Dr. Archer said.
On a more positive note, Friday's UK trade data might reveal a narrowing in Britain's trade shortfall with its foreign trading partners.
The latest trade figures would also help to better gauge the impact of weaker Sterling and rising commodity prices on the cost of firms' inputs.
Nonetheless, Dr. Archer indicated that "a key hope for the UK economy going forward is that the substantial overall weakening of the pound since the UK voted to leave the European Union in June’s referendum will increasingly feed through to boost foreign demand for UK goods and services."
Overseas, the main US data releases would be the US central bank's Senior Loan Officer Survey which was set for releae at the start of the week, on Monday, followed by the University of Michigan's preliminary reading on US consumer confidence in February, on Friday.
On the Continent, the Sentix institute's investor sentiment gauge for February was likely attract some attention, together with industrial production figures from Spain, France and Italy also expected over the remainder of the week.
Monday 06 February
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BT Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Artemis VCT
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Artemis VCT, Cerillion , ITE Group, JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund
Tuesday 07 February
INTERIMS
Mattioli Woods
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Johnson Matthey, Workspace Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
FINALS
BP, BP, Plus500 Ltd (DI), RM, St. Modwen Properties
AGMS
Dewhurst, UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Mitchells & Butlers, On The Beach Group
Wednesday 08 February
INTERIMS
Dunelm Group, Hargreaves Lansdown
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Anglo Pacific Group, Ashtead Group, Halma
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (21:30)
Q3
Sophos Group
FINALS
Sampo OYJ, Smurfit Kappa Group
AGMS
Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Income & Growth VCT , Victrex plc
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
UK Commercial Property Trust
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan Chinese Inv Trust
Thursday 09 February
INTERIMS
Ashmore Group, Frontier Developments, InnovaDerma
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Conviviality, Daejan Holdings, Gateley (Holdings) , Murgitroyd Group, Rank Group, Stagecoach Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
IBM Corp., JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Picton Property Income Ltd, Unilever
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)
FINALS
Bank Pekao SA GDS (Reg S), Smith & Nephew
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust
EGMS
Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd.
AGMS
easyJet, Enterprise Inns, Paragon Group Of Companies, Premier Asset Management Group, Thomas Cook Group
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Asset Management, Euromoney Institutional Investor, ZPG Plc
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, JPMorgan Russian Securities, Polar Capital Global Financials Trust, Sage Group
Friday 10 February
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bisichi Mining, QinetiQ Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British Land Company
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)
EGMS
GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd
AGMS
GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Keras Resources , Numis Corporation, Port Erin Biopharma Investments Ltd
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Electrocomponents
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (09:30)
Industrial Production (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Connect Group, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Dunedin Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Game Digital, Grainger, Henderson European Focus Trust, Numis Corporation, Octopus VCT 3, Octopus VCT 4, Patisserie Holdings , Servoca, Tracsis