Thursday preview: Services PMIs and US jobs data in focus

In the continued absence of corporate results, economic data will once again steal the limelight on Thursday, with service-sector indicators in focus across the globe and labour-market figures due in the US.

Services PMIs for December will be released in a host of countries: the private Caixin China services PMI is tipped to come in at 51.6, up slightly from 51.5 in November; while the second estimates of the eurozone, UK and US services PMIs are expected to remain unchanged with the flash estimates at 48.1, 52.7 and 51.3, respectively.

Thursday will also see the release of German inflation figures for December, which are expected to show the effects of a plunge in energy prices the year before. As such, the annual rate of Germany inflation is forecast to surge to 3.8% from 3.2% in November as base effects push up energy inflation up.

Meanwhile, the ADP employment report in the US will be closely watched ahead of the all-important non-farm payrolls figure on Friday. ADP is expected to report that 115,000 private-sector jobs were created last month, up from 103,000 in November.

There will be few corporate results out, but Next and B&M will garner some attention as investors look for signs on how the UK high street retailers fared over the key Christmas trading period.

Worth noting, a number of stocks will be trading ex-dividend and likely providing a drag on markets; Witan Investment Trust, Baillie Gifford European Grwoth Trust, Auto Trader, Big Yellow Group, Dr Martens and Workspace Group will all be trading without the right to their latest dividend payout.

Thursday January 04

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Caledonia Investments, Castings, Great Portland Estates

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Auto Trader Group , Big Yellow Group, Bisichi , Cohort, Dr. Martens , Iomart Group, Latham (James), Severfield, Triad Group, Workspace Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

CT Private Equity Trust, CT UK High Income Trust, CT UK High Income Trust B , Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Auto Sales (US) (20:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)

PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)

PMI Composite (US) (14:45)

PMI Services (EU) (09:00)

PMI Services (GER) (08:55)

PMI Services (US) (14:45)

GMS

Tintra , Valirx

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AVI Global Trust

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Foresight Enterprise VCT

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

B&M European Value Retail SA

Next

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Credit (09:30)

M4 Money Supply (09:30)

Mortgage Approvals (09:30)

PMI Composite (09:30)

PMI Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AVI Global Trust , Town Centre Securities

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Baillie Gifford European Growth Trust , Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust, Braemar , Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Henderson European Focus Trust, S and U 31.5% Prf. Cum. Prf 12.5P, Unicorn AIM VCT , Witan Investment Trust Plc