Thursday preview: US CPI, M&S in focus

Thursday will bring with it what is expected to be the week's main risk event, the U.S. consumer price report for the month of December.

Consensus is that the headline and core CPI will increase at a month-on-month pace of 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively.

Also due out in the States are initial unemployment claims figures for the week ending on 5 January.

However, no major economic reports are scheduled for release in the euro area or UK.

In the company arena, Marks & Spencer will release its third quarter financials as the shares hover around their best levels since April 2019.

Worth noting, the retailer's cash flow moved back into the black during the first half of its financial year and management reinstated its dividend.

However, as Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK notes, M&S did warn that the back half of the year would be more difficult due to a combination of higher interest rates, a slowing economy, deflationary pressures and geopolitics.

"This week’s Q3 numbers could be a mixed bag with food expected to do well, although general merchandise might prove to be a drag," Hewson adds.

Thursday 11 January

INTERIMS

Knights Group Holdings

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

3i Infrastructure, CMC Markets, Michelmersh Brick Holdings, National Grid, TR Property Inv Trust, Worldwide Healthcare Trust

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Ashtead Group, Foresight Group Holdings Limited NPV, SSE, Walker Crips Group, XPS Pensions Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

GSK

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Balanced Commercial Property Trust Limited , BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, Ecora Resources, JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Primary Health Properties, Supermarket Income Reit

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Atrato Onsite Energy

AGMS

JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust, Orchard Funding Group , Pennpetro Energy

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Grafton Group Ut (CDI), Hilton Food Group, Marks & Spencer Group, Taylor Wimpey, Tesco, Tesco, Whitbread

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AJ Bell, Character Group, DotDigital Group, Keystone Positive Change Investment Trust, Sage Group, Smiths News , WH Smith