Week ahead: Fed, ECB and BoJ in the spotlight

Investors' focus over the coming week would be on central bank decisions in the US, euro area and Japan.

The Federal Reserve and European Central Bank were both expected to hike interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

However, it remained to be seen to what extent they would leave the door open to further hikes before the end of the year.

Come Friday, the Bank of Japan was seen staying put on policy, although there was a small risk that it might tweak its policy of so-called yield curve control.

Another potentially key risk event would be the release of the second quarter Employment Cost Index in the US, on Friday, a gauge of salary pressures that was known to be closely followed by the Fed.

A preliminary reading for second quarter US GDP was also due out, on Thursday, followed by readings for personal consumption and expenditures and consumer confidence on the next day.

Friday would also bring with it preliminary readings for consumer prices in France, Germany and Spain, all covering the month of July.

And on Monday, S&P Global would publish a raft of Purchasing Managers' Indices for manufacturing and services sector activity in the UK, euro area and US.

Worth noting, on Wednesday tech heavyweights Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Microsoft, were due to publish their latest quarterly figures.

Monday 24 July

INTERIMS

Science Group

GMS

Adalan Ventures , WANdisco

EGMS

Plus500 Ltd (DI)

AGMS

Discoverie Group, MobilityOne Ltd.

Tuesday 25 July

INTERIMS

Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) , Croda International, Hummingbird Resources, Reach, SThree, Tyman, Unilever, Unite Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Brunner Inv Trust, General Electric Co (CDI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)

House Price Index (US) (14:00)

IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)

IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)

IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)

Q2

Unilever

GMS

Globaldata

FINALS

Altitude Group, Games Workshop Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Games Workshop Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Foresight Solar & Technology VCT

EGMS

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI)

AGMS

ADM Energy , ATOME Energy , B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI), JZ Capital Partners Ltd, Mitie Group, Molecular Energies, Safestay, Vodafone Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Compass Group, Sage Group

Wednesday 26 July

INTERIMS

Banco Santander S.A., Breedon Group , Centamin (DI), Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Lloyds Banking Group, Primary Health Properties, Rathbones Group, Restore, RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI), Rio Tinto

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Ecora Resources

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Q2

Centamin (DI)

FINALS

Hargreaves Services, Van Elle Holdings

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Castings

AGMS

Aquila Services Group, B.P. Marsh & Partners, Blackstone Loan Financing Limited (EUR), Eurasia Mining, Molten Ventures, Motorpoint Group, NewRiver REIT, Ninety One , Norcros, OptiBiotix Health, Oracle Power , Palace Capital , Triad Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Airtel Africa , Baillie Gifford China Growth Trust , Camellia, Inspired, Worldwide Healthcare Trust, Wynnstay Properties

Thursday 27 July

INTERIMS

Anglo American, Centrica, Drax Group, Forterra, Franchise Brands, Hammerson, Hammerson, Inchcape, Indivior, Informa, Jupiter Fund Management , Mobico Group, Rentokil Initial, Schroders, SEGRO, St James's Place

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Compass Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Bellevue Healthcare Trust (Red), Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

City of London Inv Trust, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited NPV

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)

ECB Interest Rate (EU) (13:15)

GDP (Preliminary) (US) (13:30)

GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Q2

Indivior, Shell

GMS

Bidstack Group , Crossword Cybersecurity, KRM22

EGMS

SDIC Power Holdings Co.,Ltd GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Arkle Resources (CDI), Biotech Growth Trust (The), Chaarat Gold Holdings Ltd. (DI), CMC Markets, Dekel Agri-Vision (DI), Firering Strategic Minerals (DI), Graft Polymer (UK) , Kendrick Resources, Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Northern 3 VCT, Petrel Resources (CDI), Puma Alpha Vct , Puma Vct 13, Record, Tate & Lyle, Tiger Royalties and Investments, Volex

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

CMC Markets

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Anglo Asian Mining, Fidelity China Special Situations , Fuller Smith & Turner, Serica Energy, Tribal Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Bloomsbury Publishing, Cake Box Holdings, Calculus VCT , Calnex Solutions , Celtic 6% Cnv Cum Prf, City of London 4.2% Cum 1st Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust 4.2% Non-Cum 2nd Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust Preference Ord Stk 14% Non-Cumulative 1, Monks Inv Trust, Nexteq, Octopus AIM VCT, QinetiQ Group, SSE

Q1

Airtel Africa , BT Group

Friday 28 July

INTERIMS

AstraZeneca, IMI, Intertek Group, NATWEST GROUP, Rightmove

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Barings Emerging Emea Opportunities , British Smaller Companies VCT, Character Group, Gooch & Housego, Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 1 , Gresham House Renewable Energy VCT 2, Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Paragon Banking Group, Symphony International Holdings Ltd., Union Jack Oil

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Abrdn Private Equity Opportunities Trust, Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV, Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, Real Estate Investors

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)

Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)

Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)

Employment Cost Index (US) (13:30)

Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

Personal Income (US) (13:30)

Personal Spending (US) (13:30)

Services Sentiment (EU) (10:00)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Final) (US) (15:00)

Q2

AstraZeneca

GMS

Intuitive Investments Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Bisichi , Personal Assets Trust

AGMS

African Pioneer NPV, Axis Bank Ltd GDR (Reg S), Bezant Resources, Braveheart Investment Group, Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited NPV, DP Poland, Jangada Mines, Mercantile Ports & Logistics Limited, MetalNRG, Northern 2 VCT, Oxford Instruments, R&Q Insurance Holdings Ltd (DI), Science In Sport, Xtract Resources

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Glencore , Paragon Banking Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

3i Group, Anpario, Big Yellow Group, Bisichi , British Land Company, Edinburgh Inv Trust, Helical, Inspiration Healthcare Group , Premier Foods, Shires Income, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust, The Mission Group, Vertu Motors