Week ahead: US non-farm payrolls in focus

US and Chinese data were set come back into focus, with the latest monthly jobs report in the former perhaps more important than usual for markets in the run-up to the Federal Reserve's next policy meeting at the end of September.

"Note that the BLS measure has been nearly five times as volatile as ADP employment in 2016 and thus the latter metric is still likely a better gauge of the current payroll trend. All in, the current pace is substantially above the rate of job growth that keeps the unemployment rate steady (which is near 100,000 depending on your LF assumptions), and thus even a slower pace of job growth would still help the u-rate grind down toward the mid 4s by year-end," analysts at RBC said in a research note sent to clients.

The ISM's US manufacturing sector purchasing managers' index for the month of August, on 1 September, would likely also figure high on traders' radar.

Not to be missed either, the start of the new month would see many traders and investors return to markets following the summer break, helping to buoy trading volumes.

Equivalent gauges from China, the UK and the Eurozone were also due for release on the same day.

Preliminary euro area consumer price data for August was also scheduled to be published that Thursday.

Following data on the Eurozone's money supply published on 26 August that showed narrow money supply growth slowing to its slowest pace in 19 months, Capital Economics mused: "July’s money and credit data show a pick-up in lending growth, despite concerns about banks’ health and the UK’s vote for Brexit. Nevertheless, the data suggest that inflation will remain weak."

Data on Japanese unemployment and retail sales were set for release on the preceding Tuesday.

Capping the week off, Fitch was set to deliver its latest assessment of Finland and Greece's debt metrics, with DBRS expected to do the same for Ireland.

Monday August 29

INTERIMS
PJSC Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port GDR (Reg S), PJSC RusHydro ADR

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)
Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)
Personal Income (US) (13:30)
Personal Spending (US) (13:30)

Q2
PJSC Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port GDR (Reg S)

FINALS
600 Group, 600 Group

EGMS
Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd.

Tuesday August 30

INTERIMS
BATM Advanced Communications Ltd., Globaltrans Investment GDR (Reg S), Inspired Energy, JSC Acron GDR (Reg S), Nord Gold SE GDR (Reg S), Total Produce

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Canadian General Investments Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Q2
Globaltrans Investment GDR (Reg S), JSC Acron GDR (Reg S), Nord Gold SE GDR (Reg S)

EGMS
Air China Ltd.

AGMS
Medilink-Global UK Ltd., Puma VCT 9

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

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Iomart Group

Wednesday August 31

INTERIMS
Arrow Global Group, Avengardco Investments Public Ltd GDR, BBGI SICAV S.A. (DI), Biome Technologies, Brave Bison Group, Cathay International Holdings Ltd., Churchill China, Exova Group , Grafton Group Units, Gulf Marine Services, HSS Hire Group , Irish Continental Group Units, PJSC Centre For Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S), PJSC Centre For Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S), PPHE Hotel Group Ltd, Surgical Innovations Group, The Gym Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Lancashire Holdings Limited, Man Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
City of London Inv Trust, Picton Property Income Ltd

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
Unemployment Rate (EU) (10:00)
Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

Q2
Avengardco Investments Public Ltd GDR, HSS Hire Group , PJSC Centre For Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S), PJSC Centre For Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S), The Gym Group

AGMS
Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, Bahamas Petroleum Co, Iona Environmental VCT, Jupiter Green Inv Trust, Maven Income And Growth VCT 6 , Puma Vct 8

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Punch Taverns

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Auto Sales (US) (00:00)
GFK Consumer Confidence (00:05)
Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
City of London Investment Trust 4.2% Non-Cum 2nd Prf Stk, Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd.

Thursday September 01

INTERIMS
International Public Partnerships Ltd., Stilo International

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Melrose Industries, Tyman

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Acacia Mining, Acencia Debt Strategies Ltd., Aggreko, Amino Technologies, Arbuthnot Banking Group, Avesco Group, Carillion, Foxtons Group , G4S, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Hochschild Mining, Hostelworld Group , Impellam Group, InterContinental Hotels Group, International Personal Finance, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, Keller Group, Kingspan Group, Mincon Group , National Express Group, Northern Electricity Prf, Novae Group, Polymetal International, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares, Robert Walters, St James's Place, Stock Spirits Group , Tullett Prebon, Ultra Electronics Holdings, Xaar

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Bank of America Corp., Premier Energy & Water Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Construction Spending (US) (15:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)
ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)

Q2
International Public Partnerships Ltd.

FINALS
Alumasc Group, CPL Resources, Hays

AGMS
Falkland Islands Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Safestore Holdings

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Auto Trader Group , BHP Billiton, First Property Group, Gateley (Holdings) , Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, ICBC Standard Bank, Micro Focus International, NCC Group, Pinewood Group , Solid State, Stagecoach Group, WYG

Friday September 02

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Domino's Pizza Group, Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Octopus Titan VCT , Porvair

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)
Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

EGMS
PJSC Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port GDR (Reg S), Public Joint Stock Company Severstal GDR (Reg S)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, Cranswick, Pennon Group, QinetiQ Group, RPC Group