Thursday preview: US stimulus plans, Powell in focus
All eyes on Thursday will be fixated on the incoming US President's proposal for new government stimulus.
Biden's stimulus plans are expected to include $2,000 monthly paychecks for ordinary Americans, a hike in aid for state and local governments and a boost in enhanvced federal unemployment benefits.
Against that backdrop, after the close of trading in London, Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, is due to participate in a webinar hosted by Princeton university.
Investors will also be keeping close tabs on the latest weekly unemployment claims figures following the surprisingly weak non-farm payrolls data for December published the week before.
The ongoing daily rate of Covid-19 vaccinations in the US will also be kept track of, with the latest figures, as per Pantheon Macroeconomics, showing that they have roughly doubled over the past week to reach 642,000 per day.
On home shores, focus will be on the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors' house price balance for December.
Across the channel, the minutes of the European Central Bank's last rate-setting meeting are due out at 1230 GMT.
Thursday 14 January
Finals
Blue Prism Group, Titon Holdings, Safestore Holdings
Interims
Ilika
Trading announcements
Wood Group (John), Hays, Ashmore Group, Whitbread, Tesco, Dunelm Group, Network International Holdings
AGMs
Cardiff Property
EGMs
C&C Group, ICG-Longbow Senior Secured UK Property Debt Investments Ltd
GMs
Future, Capita, Cardiff Property
Final Ex-Dividend Date
Majedie Investments, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, Morses Club, Scottish Inv Trust, Premier Miton Group, Sage Group, Smart (J) & Co., Character Group, Future, Cardiff Property
Final Divident Payment Date
Fidelity Special Values
Interim Ex-Dividend Date
SSE, BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, Ediston Property Investment Company, Ashtead Group, Caledonia Mining Corporation (DI), Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust, NB Global Monthly Income Fund Limited Red Ord Shs NPV, European Assets Trust, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited
Special Ex-Dividend Date
Ferrexpo, iEnergizer Ltd., B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI)
Quarterly Ex-Dividend Date
Primary Health Properties, JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income, JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income, BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust
Quarterly Payment Date
GlaxoSmithKline
UK Economic Announcements
RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)
International Economic Announcements
Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)