Week ahead: Focus on MPC and US Jobs report

All eyes in the coming week will be on Bank's policy decision on Thursday and accompanying Inflation Report.

On Thursday, rate-setters on the Monetary Policy Committee will get a chance to explain their thinking as to the current risks facing the British economy.

The latest IR comes at a key moment in time, with markets having at one point recently begun to price-in the possibility of a near-term hike in Bank Rate.

However, rate hike expectations were tempered by the release of CPI data on 18 July showing that the rate of increase in the cost of living in the UK slowed had to a 2.6% year-on-year pace in June, down from 2.9% in May - contrary to expectations.

Hence, an interest rate increase at this next meeting is now seen as considerably less likely.

Acting as a backdrop, overseas the Federal Reserve also appears - at least moderately - to have eased its tightening bias, while the European Central Bank continues to insist on the need for patience and a very gradualist approach.

Beyond the MPC, the spotlight will be on Friday's US non-farm payrolls numbers, arguably the most important bit of data for global capital markets published each month.

Monday July 31

INTERIMS
Arix Bioscience , Coats Group, FDM Group (Holdings), Fidessa Group, Hiscox Limited (DI), Hutchison China Meditech Ltd, Old Mutual, Senior, Trinity Mirror, XP Power Ltd. (DI)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Albion Venture Capital Trust, European Investment Trust, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Ediston Property Investment Company, Funding Circle SME Income Fund, JP Morgan Chase & Co, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Schroder Income Growth Fund, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
Unemployment Rate (EU) (10:00)

GMS
Highlands Natural Resources

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
European Investment Trust, PayPoint

AGMS
All Asia Asset Capital Limited (DI), China New Energy Limited, Mothercare, National Grid, Plaza Centers NV, Salvarx Group, Tau Capital

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (09:30)
M4 Money Supply (09:30)
Mortgage Approvals (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Anpario, Charles Stanley Group, Diversified Gas & Oil, Fidelity China Special Situations , Hibernia Reit , JD Sports Fashion, Mediclinic International , PayPoint, Vertu Motors

Tuesday August 01

INTERIMS
4Imprint Group, BBA Aviation, BP, Centrica, Direct Line Insurance Group, Forterra, Fresnillo, Genel Energy, Gocompare.com Group, Greggs, Intertek Group, LSL Property Services, Man Group, Meggitt, Rolls-Royce Holdings, SDL, Taylor Wimpey

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
BBA Aviation, Electronic Data Processing, Stride Gaming

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Mercantile Investment Trust (The)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Construction Spending (US) (15:00)
GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)
ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)
Personal Income (US) (13:30)
Personal Spending (US) (13:30)
Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

Q2
BP

FINALS
Filtronic, NWF Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Next

AGMS
British Smaller Companies VCT, Plastics Capital, Tongaat-Hulett Ltd., VP, Work Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
CYBG

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hogg Robinson Group, Johnson Matthey, KCOM Group, Next, Tate & Lyle, TR Property Inv Trust

Wednesday August 02

INTERIMS
Aggreko, BAE Systems, Bank Pekao SA GDS (Reg S), Devro, Dignity, Eurocell , Johnston Press, Novae Group, Rio Tinto, RSA Insurance Group, Smurfit Kappa Group, Standard Chartered, StatPro Group, Travis Perkins, William Hill

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Q2
Bank Pekao SA GDS (Reg S), Smurfit Kappa Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Record

EGMS
DW Catalyst Fund Limited Red Shs GBP

AGMS
CML Microsystems, Monks Inv Trust, Schroder UK Growth Fund, Snoozebox Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Barr (A.G.)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:00)
PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Record

Thursday August 03

INTERIMS
Aviva, Centamin (DI), Cobham, Communisis, Convatec Group , Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), esure Group, Ferrexpo, Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADS, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Inmarsat, London Stock Exchange Group, Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Mondi, Non-Standard Finance, Portmeirion Group, Randgold Resources Ltd., Serco Group, Shire Plc, Spirent Communications

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
ITE Group, WH Smith

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Berendsen, Blackrock Throgmorton Trust, Domino's Pizza Group, Inchcape, Independent Inv Trust, International Biotech Trust, Jupiter Fund Management , Microgen, Moneysupermarket.com Group, Octopus Titan VCT , Sanderson Group, Tyman

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Fair Oaks Income Limited 2017 Shs NPV, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Toro Limited , Unilever

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
Retail Sales (EU) (11:00)

Q2
Centamin (DI), Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADS, Inmarsat, Randgold Resources Ltd., RSA Insurance Group, Shire Plc

ANNUAL REPORT
Collagen Solutions

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Caledonia Investments

AGMS
Amiad Water Systems Ltd, Dekeloil Public Ltd

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Next, UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Caledonia Investments, De La Rue, Homeserve, Norcros

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, CMC Markets, Halfords Group, Latham (James), Micro Focus International, Motorpoint Group, QinetiQ Group

Friday August 04

INTERIMS
FBD Holdings, Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate , Merlin Entertainments , Royal Bank of Scotland Group, RPS Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Autins Group, CC Japan Income & Growth Trust, Chrysalis VCT, Frenkel Topping Group, Game Digital, Heavitree Brewery, Heavitree Brewery 'A' Shares

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British Land Company, F & C UK High Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)
Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Q2
Royal Bank of Scotland Group

ANNUAL REPORT
Oneview Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Chrysalis VCT, F & C UK High Income Trust , NewRiver REIT

AGMS
APQ Global Limited, Bilby, Bluerock Diamonds, Obtala Limited

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
S&U

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aquila Services Group, Aveva Group, B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI), Bonmarche Holdings, Brown (N.) Group, Burberry Group, Caffyns, Intermediate Capital Group, Monks Inv Trust, Next Fifteen Communications, Octopus AIM VCT, TalkTalk Telecom Group , ULS Technology , United Utilities Group, Vodafone Group, Wincanton