Thursday preview: BoE, central banks in focus

All eyes on Thursday will be on a raft of central bank meetings and on that of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee above all.

No change in policy is expected from the MPC and while it may comment on lenders' preparedness, economists at Barclays Research expected that it would wait until February for a more thorough discussion.

Stateside meanwhile, investors will be keeping an eye out for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's regional manufacturing sector index for the month of December.

The so-called Philly Fed survey, which is due out at 1330 GMT, covers sector conditions in the mid-Atlantic region.

In parallel, the Department of Labor will publish its jobless claims figures for the most recent week, that ending on 12 December.

On the Continent, rate-setters in Switzerland and Norway are due to meet to decide on policy.

Previously, overnight central banks in Indonesia, Philippines and Taiwan are all due to make policy announcements.

Thursday 17 December

INTERIMS

Watches of Switzerland Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Manolete Partners

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alliance Pharma, Cohort, Cranswick, Creightons, Discoverie Group, GB Group, JPMorgan Euro Small Co. Trust, Octopus AIM VCT, Redde Northgate, Sirius Real Estate Ltd., United Utilities Group, Ventus VCT D Shs, Ventus 2 VCT, Ventus 2 VCT 'C' Shares, Ventus 2 VCT D Shs, Ventus VCT, Ventus VCT 'C' Shares, Vodafone Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

British American Tobacco, Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Volta Finance Limited, Volta Finance Limited NPV (GBP)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Building Permits (US) (13:30)

Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Housing Starts (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS

IntegraFin Holding, SSP Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, RDL Realisation , VP

EGMS

Ryanair Holdings

AGMS

Amiad Water Systems Ltd, Avengardco Investments Public Ltd GDR, BATM Advanced Communications Ltd., Eqtec, European Metals Holding Limited (DI), European Metals Holding Limited (DI), Falanx Group Ltd, Focusrite, Frontier IP Group, Griffin Mining Ltd., Kier Group, Netcall, Ovoca Bio, Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI), Solgold, Transense Technologies, Wetherspoon (J.D.)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Barings Emerging Emea Opportunities , Britvic, Numis Corporation