Thursday preview: US CPI, ECB minutes in the spotlight

All eyes on Thursday will be on the week's key data release, the US consumer price index for the month of September.

At 1330 BST, the Department of Labor is expected to announce that the annual rate of increase in CPI slowed from 2.5% to 2.3%.

Core CPI on the other hand was seen steady at 3.2%.

Investors would also be keeping an eye out for the simultaneous release of the latest weekly jobless claims numbers.

Also on tap were speeches from at least two top Federal Reserve Bank officials.

Earlier, at 1130 BST, the European Central Bank was scheduled to publish the minutes of its last policy meeting.

That account would be preceded at 1000 BST by money supply and loan data for September in China.

Thursday 10 October

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, Endeavour Mining, Macfarlane Group, Standard Chartered

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aquila Energy Efficiency Trust, AVI Japan Opportunity Trust , Centaur Media, Christie Group, FDM Group (Holdings), Inspired, Judges Scientific, Kerry Group 'A' Shares (CDI), Kingfisher, Likewise Group, M. P. Evans Group, Microlise Group, Panther Securities, Stelrad Group , Taylor Wimpey, Tesco, WPP

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

GSK

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income, JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Primary Health Properties, Supermarket Income Reit

GMS

Cambria Africa, Red Rock Resources

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

SLF Realisation Fund Limited C Shs NPV, SLF Realisation Fund Limited NPV

AGMS

Synairgen

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Begbies Traynor Group, Gateley (Holdings) , JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust, Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, Strategic Equity Capital