Wednesday preview: UK CPI, Crest Nicholson in focus

Financial markets' focus on Tuesday will be on the latest UK consumer price figures.

Consensus is for the annual rate of inflation to tick higher by a tenth of a percentage point from 3.2% in August to 3.3% for September.

Economists at Barclays Research on the other hand anticipate a dip to 3.1%, but concede that there are upside risks due to the ongoing supply chain disruptions.

Stateside, all eyes will be on the Federal Reserve as it releases its Beige Book and with investors keen for any further clues as to the thinking of top policymakers.

Across the Channel meanwhile, Eurostat will publish a final reading on consumer prices in the euro area during September, together with current account data for August.

Further afield, in the People's Republic of China, rate-setters will meet to decide on interest rates.

On the corporate side of things, homebuilder Crest Nicholson will be holding a Capital Markets Day.

UBS analyst Gregor Kuglitsch is not expecting any "material changes" to its previously announced mid-term operating margin target of 18-20%.

His forecast was that the company would hit it by the 2024 financial year, estimating that it would translate into a return on capital employed - using Crest's own definition - of approximately 18%, meaning that the builder would still be lagging its peers.

"We think management could be more optimistic in achieving a ROCE >20% in the medium term."

Wednesday 20 October

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Bigblu Broadband , Hargreaves Lansdown

AGMS

Byotrol, Real Good Food , Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited NPV

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Antofagasta, SEGRO

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (07:00)

Producer Price Index (07:00)

Retail Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Hargreaves Lansdown