Thursday preview: ECB minutes, Fed speak in focus

Wednesday will be the European Central Bank's turn to publish the minutes of its last monetary policy meeting.

With the harsh glare of global investors' attention increasingly on the monetary authority's next moves, focus will be on any new insights that might be gleaned regarding just how aggressive it will be and for how long.

Also due out across the Channel are industrial production figures for the euro area's largest economy, Germany, in May.

At 1045 BST, ECB chief economist Philip Lane will deliver a speech on "The accelerated green transition in the post-Covid 19 era".

No major economic announcements are scheduled in the UK.

In the US, the spotlight will be on speeches from Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller at 1700 BST.

St.Louis Fed chief, James Bullard, will take to the podium at an event at the same hour to talk about the US economy and monetary policy.

Further afield, in Malaysia, rate-setters will be meeting to decide on interest rates.

Consensus is for a 25 basis point increase in the overnight rate to 2.25%.

Thursday 7 July

FINALS

Watches of Switzerland Group, Currys, Baltic Classifieds Group, Jet2

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Time Finance, Vistry Group, Persimmon, Entain, RS Group

AGMs

Hiro Metaverse Acquisitions I S.A. Cls A Ord Npv (DI), Pets at Home Group, Severn Trent, Octopus Apollo VCT, Emmerson NPV, 3i Infrastructure, Tomco Energy, Brown (N.) Group, Distil, Land Securities Group, Puma Vct 13, C&C Group (CDI), Great Portland Estates, Maven Income & Growth VCT, Sainsbury (J), FD Technologies Public Limited Company

EGMs

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Cropper (James), Big Yellow Group, Mountview Estates, Next Fifteen Communications, Bisichi, New Century AIM VCT 2, Aveva Group, Sirius Real Estate Ltd., Camellia, Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI), Caffyns, Fuller Smith & Turner, Shires Income, Concurrent Technologies, JD Sports Fashion, Workspace Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Young & Co's Brewery (Non-Voting), Alliance Pharma, Irish Continental Group Units (Comp) (CDI), Lords Group Trading, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Murray International Trust, Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust, CC Japan Income & Growth Trust, Next, Albion Venture Capital Trust, Premier Miton Group, Dewhurst Group 'A'NON.VTG, Paragon Banking Group, Safestore Holdings, Up Global Sourcing Holdings, Dewhurst Group, European Assets Trust, Tavistock Investments, Schroder Income Growth Fund, New Century AIM VCT, abrdn Latin American Income Fund Limited NPV, Polar Capital Holdings

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Smiths News

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Bisichi, Kings Arms Yard VCT, Pembroke Vct B

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

CT UK High Income Trust, CT UK High Income Trust B, CT Private Equity Trust, Primary Health Properties, Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV, ICG Enterprise Trust, Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, British American Tobacco

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Law Debenture Corp.

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)