Friday preview: Monthly UK GDP data in focus

Financial markets' focus at the end of the week will be on a barrage of economic indicators due out in the UK referencing the month of August.

Chief among those will be a reading on gross domestic product which consensus anticipates will reveal a month-on-month pace of growth of 5.0% following on from a July print of 6.6%.

The Office for National Statistics will release the data at 0700 BST, alongside readings on output from construction and industry, as well as for services and on foreign trade.

Commenting on the outlook for the GDP reading, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said: "This week number may not be quite as good as it gets given that September may well also be a decent month, but economic activity from here on in could well start to tail off significantly as we head into Q4 in the face of tighter restrictions, and concern over a no deal Brexit."

Friday 8 October

AGMs

Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust

GMs

RWS Holdings, Premier Global Infrastructure Trust

Final Dividend Payment Date

Goodwin Plc, Arcontech Group

Interim Dividend Payment Date

Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares, BMO Managed Portfolio Trust Inc Shs, Pollen Street Secured Lending, Up Global Sourcing Holdings, Personal Assets Trust, Wentworth Resources NPV, Zotefoams, XP Power Ltd. (DI), Special Ex-Dividend Date

UK Economic Announcements

Index of Services (09:30)

Balance of Trade (09:30)

Industrial Production (09:30)

Gross Domestic Product (09:30)

Manufacturing Production (09:30)

International Economic Announcements

Wholesales Inventories (US) (05:00)