Thursday preview: Central banker speeches in focus as rate-cut speculation builds

After a quiet few days on the economic data and corporate earnings calendar, things ramp up on Thursday with a barrage of leading indicators due out in the US, along with speeches from some prominent central banks on both sides of the Pond.

Two heavyweight constituents on the FTSE 350 will give trading updates: water group Pennon and safety equipment giant Halma.

In the US, jobless claims and durable goods orders are due out during the session, along with the final estimate of GDP growth for the second quarter.

Over in Europe, the forward-looking October GfK consumer confidence survey in Germany will be released, while investors will be keeping tabs on the latest interest-rate decision from the Swiss National Bank, which is predicted to cut rates by a further 25 basis points (bp) to 1.0%, following two similar cuts in March and June.

However, with global financial markets continuing to be focused on the trajectory of monetary easing cycles, scheduled speeches from a number of policymakers at the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank will be closely watched for any hints at how policy will change in the coming months.

The most prominent of these speeches will come from the head of the Fed, chair Jerome Powell, who will speak at the US Treasury Market Conference in New York. While he is unlikely to reveal anything new, his comments will be in keen focus following last week's bumper 50bp rate cut by the US central bank.

According to a note on Tuesday by JPMorgan Research, the Fed is predicted to cut rates by another 50bp at its next meeting in early November, while the current Fed 'dot plot' is pointing to four more 25bp rate cuts in 2025.

Other members of the Fed, including Susan Collins, Adriana Kugler, Michelle Bowman, John Williams, Lisa Cook, Michael Barr and Neel Kashkari, are also due to speak at Thursday's conference.

Meanwhile, ECB president Christine Lagarde is scheduled to give the welcome address at the eighth annual ESRB conference in Frankfurt in a speech about 'new frontiers in macroprudential policy'. Vice president Luis De Guindos and boardmember Isabel Schnabel will also give talks.

The comments come in wake of some dismal economic data from the eurozone on Monday, which showed that overall private-sector business activity unexpectedly declined for the first time in seven months in September, as the manufacturing downturn worsened.

Commenting on the data, Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, said the numbers "could add some urgency to ECB rate cuts for the rest of this year", following a relatively cautious approach to monetary easing seen so far. The ECB's final two monetary policy meetings of the year will be held on 17 October and 12 December.

Thursday 26 September

INTERIMS

Accesso Technology Group, AIREA, Angle, Arecor Therapeutics , Aurrigo International, Bradda Head Lithium Limited NPV (DI), CMO Group, CT Automotive Group, CVS Group, Devolver Digital, Inc. (DI) Reg S Cat 3/144A, Ebiquity, Life Science REIT, Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI), Touchstar, Trellus Health

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI), Rio Tinto, Schroders, Secure Trust Bank

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Amati AIM Vct , Bank of Georgia Group, Braime Group, Braime Group 'A'NON.V , Breedon Group , Central Asia Metals, Computacenter, Equals Group , Fevertree Drinks, Fintel, Good Energy Group, HGCapital Trust, JTC, LSL Property Services, Palace Capital , Petershill Partners , Public Policy Holding Company, Inc.(DI), Rightmove, STV Group, Wynnstay Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Abrdn DIversified Income And Growth, Alpha Real Trust Ltd., British American Tobacco, Duke Capital Limited, Law Debenture Corp., Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, Value and Indexed Property Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)

GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)

Pending Homes Sales (US) (13:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

GMS

Tlou Energy Limited (DI)

FINALS

Avation

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alfa Financial Software Holdings , FIH Group , Petershill Partners

AGMS

ActiveOps, Cambridge Nutritional Science, Diageo, ECO Animal Health Group, FRP Advisory Group , IG Design Group, Kodal Minerals , Mercia Asset Management, NWF Group, Redcentric, Scholium Group, SDI Group , Sosandar, TPXimpact Holdings, Van Elle Holdings, Zoo Digital Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halma, Pennon Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Brickability Group , Molten Ventures VCT

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alumasc Group, Barratt Developments, Diverse Income Trust (The), FIH Group , Fletcher King, FRP Advisory Group , Hargreaves Services, Miton UK Microcap Trust, System1 Group