Week ahead: BoE rate decision, Chinese foreign trade data in focus
The market spotlight during the coming week will be firmly on the Bank of England as it meets to decide on policy ahead of the next general elections.
Expectations are that all of the BoE's policy settings will remain unchanged, but Governor Mark Carney's follow-up press conference and the meeting minutes will be closely scrutinised to see to what degree - or not - the Monetary Policy Committee shares financial markets' assessment that the balance-of-risks around a possible hard-Brexit have notably declined.
Against that backdrop, in the run-up to the 12 December vote, polls of voters' intentions may garner increasing importance.
Also due out, on Monday, is IHS Markit's UK services sector Purchasing Managers' Index, followed by the Halifax house price index on Thursday.
Investors will also be keeping close tabs on October foreign trade figures in China due out on Friday, which could easily move markets around the world, especially if they confirm the most recent upbeat reading on manufacturing sector conditions in the Asian giant.
Stateside, the most important economic releases will be those on foreign trade, on Tuesday, and a preliminary reading on the University of Michigan's closely-followed US consumer confidence survey for the month of November, on Friday.
Across the Channel meanwhile, the main data point to watch out for will be IHS Markit's services sector PMI for October.
Monday November 04
INTERIMS
Norcros
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
WPP
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
PMI Manufacturing (GER) (08:55)
PMI Manufacturing (EU) (09:00)
EGMS
NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Ltd GBP
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
CPL Resources
Tuesday November 05
INTERIMS
Castleton Technology, MXC Capital
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Cenkos Securities, Synthomer, Weir Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)
PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)
PMI Composite (US) (14:45)
PMI Services (EU) (09:00)
PMI Services (US) (14:45)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
Q3
Public Joint Stock Company Polyus (REG S)
FINALS
Associated British Foods, Up Global Sourcing Holdings
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Barratt Developments
AGMS
AEW UK Long Lease Reit , Murray Income Trust
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
AIB Group, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Intu Properties, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (13:30)
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
PMI Services (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Barratt Developments
Wednesday November 06
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Huntsworth, StatPro Group, STV Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:00)
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
PMI Services (GER) (08:55)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
Connect Group
AGMS
Hansard Global, Hermes Pacific Investments, InnovaDerma, Redrow, Schroder Japan Growth Fund, Strategic Equity Capital, Strategic Equity Capital, Vast Resources
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Croda International, Tyman
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halifax House Price Index (08:30)
Thursday November 07
INTERIMS
3i Infrastructure, Great Eastern Energy Corp Ltd. GDR, Halfords Group, JZ Capital Partners Ltd, Renewi , Sainsbury (J), System1 Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
International Public Partnerships Ltd., Octopus AIM VCT 2
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Bloomsbury Publishing, Card Factory, Foresight Solar & Infrastructure VCT, Panther Securities, RTC Group, Whitbread
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, JPMorgan Japan Smaller Companies Trust, Supermarket Income Reit
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BP, Greencoat Renewables, IBM Corp., SME Credit Realisation Fund Limited NPV, Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited NPV
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Q3
Bank of Georgia Group
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Octopus AIM VCT 2
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Card Factory, Catalyst Media Group, Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Softcat
AGMS
Supermarket Income Reit
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Flutter Entertainment, Purplebricks Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Begbies Traynor Group, Redde
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Abcam, Clinigen Group, Croma Security Solutions Group, Downing Four VCT DP67 , Downing Four VCT DSO 'D' Shs, Galliford Try, Genus, Ideagen, James Halstead, JPMorgan Smaller Companies Inv Trust, London Finance & Investment Group, New Star Investment Trust, Ricardo, SCS Group , Softcat
Friday November 08
INTERIMS
Castings
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
AA , Andrews Sykes Group, Bodycote, Charles Taylor, Cobham, Downing Three VCT F Shs, Downing Three VCT H Shs, Downing Three VCT J Shs, Downing Two VCT F Shs , Downing Two VCT G Shs, Harwood Wealth Management Group, Hastings Group Holdings , Kingfisher, Learning Technologies Group , M&C Saatchi, SIG, Spectris, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Taylor Wimpey, TP ICAP, Travis Perkins, US Solar Fund
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, British Land Company
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)
AGMS
Gulf Investment Fund, Gulf Investment Fund, Red Emperor Resources NL (DI), VietNam Holding Ltd, VietNam Holding Ltd
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Brooks Macdonald Group, Murgitroyd Group, Photo-Me International