Friday preview: US January non-farm payrolls in focus

The market spotlight at the end of the week will be on the US non-farm payrolls report for January.

Consensus had been for a 50,000 person increase in hiring until Wednesday's private sector jobs report from consultancy ADP.

Now however, the likes of Pantheon Macroeconomics had penciled-in a 200,000 person gain which would roughly offset the 140,000 jobs lost during the prior month.

On home shores, with the Bank of England's rate-setting meeting now a fading memory, the sole event on the economic calendar are the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's Permanent Staff Placements and Salaries Indices for January.

Across the Channel meanwhile, investors will be waiting on factory orders data out of Germany covering December.

On the other side of the globe roughly, policymakers are expected to announce a decision to keep short-term interest rates on hold.

In parallel, Down Under their peers in Sydney will release their latest statement on monetary policy.

Friday 05 February

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aveva Group, Crystal Amber Fund Ltd., Halma, Vodafone Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

BMO UK High Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Beazley

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Best of the Best, BMO UK High Income Trust B Shares, iEnergizer Ltd.

EGMS

Bank of Cyprus Holdings Public Limited Company, Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited NPV, Smurfit Kappa Group, Total Produce

AGMS

Aberdeen Standard Equity Income Trust , Brewin Dolphin Holdings, Cerillion , Countryside Properties, Egdon Resources, On The Beach Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (08:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AJ Bell, Barings Emerging Emea Opportunities , Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Henderson European Focus Trust, UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company