Week ahead: US-China trade talks, Fed's Powell in focus

US and China trade talks will be in the spotlight over the coming week, following reports of already ongoing talks by phone and that face-to-face conversations are to be scheduled.

Following the stronger than expected non-farm payrolls report for June, traders are also likely to be busy debating whether the US Federal Reserve will carry through with an interest rate cut when policymakers next meet on 30-31 July.

Expectations at present are that they will, but the strong jobs report did lead some economists to call it into question, although even some of those believed that a September cut remained on the table.

Against that backdrop, Fed chairman Jerome Powell's semi-annual report to the House Financial Services Committee, at 1500 BST on Wednesday, will be particularly relevant.

The minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee's last meeting, on 28-29 June are also due to be released later that same day.

Chinese consumer price and foreign trade figures, on Wednesday and Friday, will also be closely monitored.

Across the Channel meanwhile, German industrial production figures for June may also make for interesting read, as may the results of the Sentix institute's monthly investor confidence survey, both of which are set for release on Monday.

On the geopolitical front, analysts will be watching for any fresh developments around Iran and its intentions vis-a-vis the 2015 nuclear deal.

Monday July 08

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)

Current Account (GER) (07:00)

Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Abbey, Mercia Technologies

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI)

AGMS

Aseana Properties Ltd., Aveva Group, DP Aircraft I Limited Pref , Sealand Capital Galaxy Limited (DI), Vietnam Enterprise Investments (DI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

3i Infrastructure, Arena Events Group , Great Portland Estates, International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI), WPP

Tuesday July 09

INTERIMS

Amino Technologies, K3 Business Technology Group, Micro Focus International, RM

FINALS

Knights Group Holdings , Photo-Me International, Synnovia

AGMS

Brown (N.) Group, Capital Gearing Trust, Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd., Keystone Law Group , Kingfisher, Marks & Spencer Group, Mountfield Group, RDLZ Realisation , Worldwide Healthcare Trust, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Robert Walters

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Plus500 Ltd (DI)

Wednesday July 10

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Hollywood Bowl Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (16:00)

Q4

Dunelm Group

FINALS

Superdry, Yourgene Health

AGMS

Amryt Pharma, Arricano Real Estate (DI), Biffa, DigitalBox, MyCelx Technologies Corporation (DI), Summit Properties Limited NPV

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Barratt Developments, Pagegroup, Ten Entertainment Group , Wetherspoon (J.D.)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (09:30)

Gross Domestic Product (08:30)

Index of Services (09:30)

Industrial Production (09:30)

Manufacturing Production (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

NMC Health

Thursday July 11

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Character Group, Safestore Holdings, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, WH Smith

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

GlaxoSmithKline, XP Power Ltd. (DI)

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, Fair Oaks Income Limited 2017 Shs NPV, JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, JPMorgan Japan Smaller Companies Trust, Merchants Trust, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Primary Health Properties, Schroder Income Growth Fund

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Dart Group, Ilika, ReNeuron Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Chelverton UK Dividend Trust

EGMS

Yew Grove Reit

AGMS

Attis Oil and Gas Ltd (DI), Biotech Growth Trust (The), Blackstone/GSO Loan Financing Limited, Dragon-Ukrainian Properties & Development, Helical, Land Securities Group, LondonMetric Property, Mercantile Ports & Logistics Limited, Northern 2 VCT, Octopus Apollo VCT, Personal Assets Trust, Renewi , Speedy Hire, Telford Homes, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust, Workspace Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kier Group, Workspace Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Air China Ltd., Alliance Pharma, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares, Young & Co's Brewery (Non-Voting)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Anpario, BMO Global Smaller Companies, Entertainment One Limited, Halma, Henderson Alternative Strategies Trust , Mission Marketing Group, Sirius Real Estate Ltd., Telecom Plus, Trans-Siberian Gold, Triple Point Income VCT C, Triple Point Income VCT D

Friday July 12

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Britvic, Income & Growth VCT , Nexus Infrastructure , Renew Holdings, Topps Tiles, Urban&Civic

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Duke Royalty Limited, Regional REIT Limited, Schlumberger Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Taylor Wimpey, U And I Group

AGMS

Amigo Holdings, Palace Capital , Pets at Home Group , Urban Logistics Reit

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Gym Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberdeen Japan Investment Trust , Anglo-Eastern Plantations, Arrow Global Group, Camellia, Flowtech Fluidpower, Fuller Smith & Turner, Georgia Healthcare Group, Keystone Law Group , Marks & Spencer Group, New Century AIM VCT 2, Restore, S&U, Sainsbury (J), Sopheon , Steppe Cement Ltd, Tatton Asset Management , Tavistock Investments, TBC Bank Group