Week ahead: Investors back on US data watch

Investors' focus will likely revert to gauging the health of the US economy over the coming week, with a barrage of high-frequency indicators set for release on Friday.

Developments at next week's impromptu meeting of OPEC countries in Algiers, between Monday and Wednesday, will likely dominate the headlines throughout the first half of the week.

By some estimates, increased production of crude oil from Russia, Nigeria and Libya will see global oil supplies rise by a cumulative 800,000 barrels a day in September, adding to an existing surplus of output and crude stockpiles already at multi-year highs.

Also worth watching out for, given recent weak readings for some hard data releases, will be Monday's IFO German business confidence gauge.

Meanwhile, and in the UK, the heaviest day for data will be Thursday, with the latest figures on consumer credit and mortgage applications set to come out.

Those figures will help markets to assess to what degree banks are turning off the credit taps or not.

In the following session, on Thursday, all eyes will be on the latest Chinese manufacturing sector purchasing managers' indices referencing the month of September.

Earlier in the same day, Japanese data on unemployment, consumer prices and industrial production during the month of August are expected.

Finally, on Friday, markets will be tuning into US data on personal income and spending, the Chicago manufacturing sector PMI and the University of Michigan's consumer confidence gauge.

Monday September 26

INTERIMS
Ergomed , Lifeline Scientific Inc., Mayair Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
British Smaller Companies VCT 2, Mincon Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

GMS
Vela Technologies

FINALS
Allergy Therapeutics, Circle Property , Gemfields, Goldplat, MJ Gleeson

ANNUAL REPORT
Arcontech Group

EGMS
Avanti Capital

AGMS
Acorn Income Fund Ld, Acorn Minerals, Hidong Estate, Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd. GDR, Octagonal, Pinewood Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BBA Mortgage Lending Figures (09:30)

Tuesday September 27

INTERIMS
Maxcyte (DI/Reg S), NetScientific , Premier Technical Services Group , S&U, Silence Therapeutics, Time Out Group, Toumaz Limited, XLMedia

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Foxtons Group , Hostelworld Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Total SA

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)
Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)
M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)

FINALS
Close Brothers Group, Netcall, Wolseley

AGMS
Arcontech Group, ASA Resource Group , Nimrod Sea Assets Limited, Trinity Capital, United Carpets Group, Versarien

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mediclinic International

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)

Wednesday September 28

INTERIMS
AA , Ebiquity, Inspiration Healthcare Group , Public Power GDR SA (Reg S), Redt Energy , Venn Life Sciences Holdings, Volga Gas

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
British American Tobacco, Lloyds Banking Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
UIL Limited (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS
Clinigen Group, Mysale Group, Smiths Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hargreaves Lansdown

EGMS
Acencia Debt Strategies Ltd.

AGMS
Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), Infrastructure India, PZ Cussons, Zoo Digital Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Gateley (Holdings) , Hargreaves Lansdown, ICBC Standard Bank, WYG

Thursday September 29

INTERIMS
Air Partner, Harvey Nash Group, Northbridge Industrial Services, Porta Communications

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Prudential, Reckitt Benckiser Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
32Red, Advanced Medical Solutions Group, BrainJuicer Group, Capital & Regional, Essentra, Fairpoint Group, Flowtech Fluidpower, Foresight VCT Planned Exit Shares, Forterra, Huntsworth, Intertek Group, John Laing Group , JPMorgan Russian Securities, Lighthouse Group, Maintel Holdings, Maven Income & Growth 2 VCT, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, NAHL Group, Phoenix Spree Deutschland Limited SHS NPV , Puma Vct VII, SafeCharge International Group Limited (DI), Safestyle UK , Servelec Group , Smurfit Kappa Group, Soco International, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), STM Group, Wynnstay Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Funding Circle SME Income Fund, Real Estate Investors

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Gross Domestic Product (US) (13:30)
Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)
Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

GMS
Auto Trader Group , International Biotech Trust

FINALS
Vernalis plc

AGMS
Aurum Mining, Castleton Technology, Eckoh, Filtronic, Galileo Resources, Ilika, KSK Power Ventur, Mirada, Miton UK Microcap Trust, New World Oil And Gas, NWF Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Euromoney Institutional Investor, Merlin Entertainments

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

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
CMC Markets

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Avation, Brooks Macdonald Group, Diverse Income Trust (The), Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), Hansard Global, ICBC Standard Bank, IG Group Holdings, Kainos Group , Kier Group, Norish Units, Pembroke Vct, Pembroke Vct B, Smith (DS), United Carpets Group

Friday September 30

INTERIMS
GAN, HarbourVest Global Private Equity Limited A Shs, Loopup Group , Metal Tiger , Norman Broadbent , Origo Partners

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Acacia Mining, Acencia Debt Strategies Ltd., Aggreko, Antofagasta, Arbuthnot Banking Group, Aviva 8 3/8% Cumulative Irrd Preference 1, Capital & Counties Properties , Elementis, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Keller Group, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Meggitt, Northern Electricity Prf, Octopus AIM VCT 2, Paddy Power Betfair, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares, SEGRO, St James's Place, The Gym Group, Xaar

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Custodian Reit , HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd, MedicX Fund Ltd., Premier Energy & Water Trust, Raven Russia Ltd 6.5% Red Cnv Pref Shs NPV, Raven Russia Ltd. Cum Red Pref Shares, Real Estate Credit Investments PCC Ltd Pref Shs

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Personal Income (US) (13:30)
Personal Spending (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
Unemployment Rate (EU) (10:00)

FINALS
Brighton Pier Group (The)

ANNUAL REPORT
Bushveld Minerals Limited

AGMS
City of London Group, Entertainment One Limited, Provexis, Tricor, UniVision Engineering Ltd., World Trade Systems

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Current Account (09:30)
GFK Consumer Confidence (00:05)
Gross Domestic Product (09:30)
Index of Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Auto Trader Group , BCA Marketplace, Downing Four VCT DSO 'D' Shs, First Property Group, Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Jupiter Green Inv Trust, NCC Group, PHSC