Week ahead: UK data, ECB rate meeting in focus

A barrage of economic data scheduled for release over the coming week will help inform markets and policymakers about the state of the UK economy in the immediate run-up to the referendum vote.

Particularly informative will be the performance of the labour market in May and June. Did companies begin to batten down the hatches on hiring ahead of the vote?

Of particular interest, preliminary readings on UK manufacturing and services for the month of July will provide one of the first insights into the aftermath of the vote.

They will come alongside readings on consumer prices for the month of June on Tuesday and public finances on Thursday.

Acting as a backdrop, rate-setters at the European Central Bank are set to meet on Thursday, with the consensus not expecting any change in the ECB's current policy settings.

"Brexit, and the negative impact it may have on euro area growth, opens the possibility of more easing from the ECB this year, but we do not expect that to come at this meeting. It is likely the ECB will take a similar approach to the Bank of England in waiting to see more data before considering whether to act. Clear evidence of a slowdown in growth or broadbased financial stress in the coming months would raise the probability of easing in September, possibly in the form of further credit easing.

"At this meeting the ECB may well give some indication of how they plan to address upcoming shortage of bonds to purchase. We may also get some comments on the recent implementation of TLTRO II and CSPP," economists at Credit Suisse said in a research note sent to clients.

The results of the latest ECB bank lending survey, on Tuesday, are also set for release.

US data on the housing sector are also due to be published during the week, on Tuesday and Thursday.

Australia's monetary authority will meet on Tuesday to decide on rates.

Monday 18 July

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Gooch & Housego

GMS
Lebanese Co for the Development & Reconstruction of Beirut Central District SAL GDS (Reg S)

AGMS
All Asia Asset Capital Limited (DI), Dekeloil Public Ltd, DP Aircraft I Limited Pref , Mereo Biopharma Group, Summit Therapeutics

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
British Land Company, Rio Tinto, Rio Tinto

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Gama Aviation , Mission Marketing Group, Vislink

Tuesday 19 July

INTERIMS
Synectics

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Building Permits (US) (13:30)
Housing Starts (US) (13:30)

FINALS
IG Group Holdings, Versarien

AGMS
Aquatic Foods Group , Bloomsbury Publishing, Braveheart Investment Group, British Land Company, Dairy Crest Group, FirstGroup, HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd, Wizz Air Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Alliance Pharma, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Royal Mail

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (09:30)
Producer Price Index (09:30)
Retail Price Index (09:30)

Wednesday 20 July

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Scottish Inv Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Current Account (EU) (09:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

IMSS
Wizz Air Holdings

DRILLING REPORT
BHP Billiton, Fresnillo

AGMS
Ambrian , Ashmore Global Opportunities Limited GBP , Aurasian Minerals , B.P. Marsh & Partners, Electrocomponents, Experian, Highbridge Multi-Strategy Fund GBP Shares, IBIS Media VCT 1, IS Solutions, Lansdowne Oil & Gas, QinetiQ Group, Renold, Severn Trent

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Clinigen Group, Electrocomponents, Revolution Bars Group, Severn Trent

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Claimant Count Rate (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hargreave Hale AIM VCT 2, Oxford Technology VCT

Thursday 21 July

INTERIMS
Breedon Aggregates Ltd., Howden Joinery Group, Nichols

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Crystal Amber Fund Ltd., Frenkel Topping Group, Heavitree Brewery, Heavitree Brewery 'A' Shares, Secure Income Reit , Shoe Zone

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Fair Oaks Income Fund Limited

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Ediston Property Investment Company, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)
Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)
House Price Index (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Leading Indicators (US) (15:00)
Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

Q2
Norsk Hydro ASA, Unilever

IMSS
easyJet

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
PPHE Hotel Group Ltd, Supergroup

EGMS
Breedon Aggregates Ltd.

AGMS
Active Energy Group, AO World, Babcock International Group, Creightons, Dee Valley Group, Gabelli Value Plus Trust , Halma, Intermediate Capital Group, Kibo Mining, Land Securities Group, Paragon Entertainment Ltd (DI), Premier Foods, Royal Mail, SABMiller, SSE, Tate & Lyle, Ventus VCT

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Empresaria Group, Science In Sport, SSE

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Public Sector Net Borrowing (09:30)
Retail Sales (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
DCC, MS International

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Downing One VCT , GB Group, Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings, Martin Currie Asia Unconstrained Trust , Scapa Group, Supergroup, U And I Group

Friday 22 July

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
One Media IP Group, Paragon Group Of Companies, RWS Holdings, Urban&Civic , Zytronic

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Alpha Real Trust Ltd., BlackRock Income Strategies Trust , Real Estate Credit Investments PCC Ltd

FINALS
Accrol Group Holdings

ANNUAL REPORT
Naspers Ltd. ADR

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Castings, JPMorgan Income & Capital Inv Trust, Northern 2 VCT, Real Estate Credit Investments PCC Ltd

AGMS
Alpha Returns Group, Axis Bank Ltd GDR (Reg S), Big Yellow Group, Big Yellow Group, Cloudbuy, Hogg Robinson Group, KCOM Group, Lead All Investments Ltd, Magnolia Petroleum, Telecom Plus

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
3i Group, Amati Vct 2, Aurora Investment Trust, BGEO Group, Capital Gearing Trust, ICAP, Northern 2 VCT, Northern Investors Co, Octopus AIM VCT, Premier Technical Services Group , Severn Trent, Sprue Aegis, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust, Tex Holdings, Wynnstay Properties