Tuesday preview: UK employment, DS Smith in the spotlight

The market spotlight on Tuesday will fall on the latest UK employment data.

Unemployment is expected to have risen over the three months to September to 4.8%, up from 4.5% over the prior three-month stretch.

Analysts at Barclays said the September report could prove useful in gauging how the jobs market may react once the furlough scheme, which was reinstated by the Chancellor starting again in November until March 2021, is permanently removed.

Investors are also likely to be closely following speeches from at least three top officials at the Federal Reserve.

That is especially true following news of Pfizer and BioNTech's apparent breakthrough on a Covid-19 vaccine.

Boston Fed chief, Eric Rosengren, is due to speak at a UBS conference on financial stability at 1500 GMT, followed by Dallas Fed president, Robert Kaplan, two hours later.

For DS Smith's third quarter, UBS analyst Mikael Doepel expects the packaging maker to provide upbeat comments on the outlook for demand.

October data showed partial success in testliner price hikes in Europe for rival Mondi with kraftliner prices seen following in November, he added.

That, Doepel said, should support a stabilisation in box prices, eventually lending support for an increase, as DS Smith was likely to point out itself.

Indeed, in North America, containerboard and corrugated box prices both appeared poised for increases in November.

Tuesday 10 November

INTERIMS

DCC, Electrocomponents, Land Securities Group, Manolete Partners, Oxford Instruments, Renewi , Zoo Digital Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Synthomer, Tandem Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

GMS

IMC Exploration Group

AGMS

Harvest Minerals Limited (DI), Pacific Horizon Inv Trust

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Alba Mineral Resources, Meggitt, Persimmon

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Retail Sales (00:01)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

IG Design Group