Wednesday preview: US jobs data, Barratt Developments in the spotlight

The focus on Wednesday will be firmly on the US jobs market.

Consultancy ADP's private sector payrolls report, which is scheduled for release at 1415 BST, is expected to show a 900,000 increase in hiring for August following July's tepid 167,000 gain.

It will come two days before the official monthly non-farm payrolls number, which economists anticipate will show a 1.518m increase for last month after July's rise of 1.763m.

Later during the US session, at 1900 BST, the Federal Reserve will publish its most recent Beige Book.

On home shores, the market spotlight will be on mortgage lender Nationwide's house price survey for August.

Across the Channel meanwhile, the sole reference for traders will be on a reading for euro area producer prices in July.

Further afield, investors would be keeping an eye out for a reading on second quarter gross domestic product Down Under (Barclays: -6.7%).

Going into Barratt Developments's full-year results, UBS is cautioning clients that there is "some downside risk" with respect to its own estimates given recent peer reporting.

Analyst Gregor Kuglitsch has penciled in a full-year drop in sales of 28% to approximately £3.42bn, for profits before tax and exceptionals of £531m, with second half margins pegged at 8.5%.

Trading in July and August would be key, he said, together with the residential real estate developer's outlook for the 2021 financial year.

His forecasts were for volume growth in FY 2021 of 19% to 14,460 units excluding joint ventures, alongside a sequential recovery in margins to 15.6%, for profits before tax of £618m.

"Key will be productivity, which we expect to be broadly back to normal as a run rate, in line with expectations set out by the company in early July."

Wednesday 02 September

INTERIMS

Concurrent Technologies, Johnson Service Group, Tissue Regenix Group, Uniphar , Woodbois Limited

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Man Group, Relx plc, St. Modwen Properties

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Factory Orders (US) (15:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Accrol Group Holdings, Arcontech Group, Barratt Developments, Creightons, Mattioli Woods

AGMS

Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, GYG, IG Design Group, Latham (James), Polar Capital Technology Trust, Velocys plc, Yellow Cake

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Pennon Group, Total Produce