Week ahead: Yellen, China, Japan in focus

In the wake of the latest much weaker-than-expected US jobs report, the focus in the coming week would likely be on US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen´s speech on 6 June.

For some economists, May´s US non-farm payrolls report flagged the risk of that country possibly slipping into a so-called 'technical recession' in just over one year´s time.

Did Yellen concur? Markets would be interested in finding out the answer.

The Fed´s JOLTs labour market survey for April might also make for particularly interesting reading this time around.

Against that backdrop, traders would also be waiting on a steady trickle of economic releases from the People´s Republic of China, including the latest foreign exchange reserves data (Monday), foreign trade numbers (on Wednesday), CPI and PPI (on Thursday) and figures on industrial production and investment in two Sundays´ time.

A barrage of tier-one Japanese indicators on the country´s current acount, foreign trade and gross domestic product - on Wednesday - might also help shape expectations for Tokyo´s next policy steps, especially those of the Bank of Japan.

Significantly, both Australia and New Zealand´s central banks were set to announce their latest policy decisions on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Data on industrial production were also set for release in the UK, France and Italy.

Monday 06 June

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aeci 5 1/2% Prf, Barloworld Ltd.

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Total SA

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

GMS
Forbidden Technologies

FINALS
Palace Capital

ANNUAL REPORT
Alexander Mining

EGMS
GLI Finance Limited, UK Commercial Property Trust

AGMS
Bagir Group Ltd. (DI), Cambian Group, Forbidden Technologies, Global Energy Development, Hansteen Holdings, REA Holdings, React Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Range Resources Ltd. (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Sales Monitor (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Epwin Group, Hydro International, Weir Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Compagnie de St-Gobain SA

Q1
TCS Group Holding GDR (Each Repr 1 A Shr) (Reg S)

Tuesday 07 June

INTERIMS
Gooch & Housego, IDOX

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

FINALS
B.P. Marsh & Partners, Carclo, Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), Vianet Group, VP, WYG

EGMS
Greka Engineering & Technology Ltd. (DI)

AGMS
Billington Holdings, Cluff Natural Resources, Cluff Natural Resources, EU Supply, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), HydroDec Group, InterQuest Group, InterQuest Group, Masawara, Oxford Biomedica, Safestay, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halifax House Price Index (08:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Merlin Entertainments , North American Income Trust (The)

Wednesday 08 June

INTERIMS
Alternative Networks, Redhall Group, Sanderson Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS
Best of the Best, CMC Markets , Creston, GB Group, Grafenia , Tricorn Group, Workspace Group

ANNUAL REPORT
CMC Markets

AGMS
Central Asia Metals, Hurricane Energy, M&C Saatchi, Share plc, Witan Pacific Inv Trust

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Industrial Production (09:30)
Manufacturing Production (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Compagnie de St-Gobain SA

Thursday 09 June

INTERIMS
Private & Commercial Finance Group, Watkin Jones

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Artemis VCT, Aviva 8 3/4% Cumulative Irrd Preference 1, British Empire Trust, Brunner Investment 5% Prf, Connect Group, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), General Accident 'A', Hargreave Hale AIM VCT 1, Income & Growth VCT , ITE Group, JPMorgan Indian Investment Trust, Lakehouse, Octopus Eclipse VCT 1, Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, Shaftesbury, Topps Tiles, Urban&Civic , Victrex plc

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Albion Technology & General VCT, Brunner Inv Trust, Ediston Property Investment Company, Regional REIT Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

FINALS
Auto Trader Group , First Property Group, Flybe Group, Volex, Volex

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Netplay TV

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Artemis VCT, B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI), Helios Underwriting, Perpetual Income & Growth Inv Trust

AGMS
AA , Atlas Mara Limited (DI), Avocet Mining, BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, Dignity, London & Associated Properties, London & Associated Properties, Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust, Michael Page International, Northacre, Robert Walters, Scisys, Soco International

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
PZ Cussons

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Legal & General Group, Macfarlane Group, Netplay TV, Seplat Petroleum Development Company (DI)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberdeen Japan Investment Trust , Acal, Air Partner, Anglo-Eastern Plantations, Arrow Global Group, Booker Group, Brammer, Camellia, Capital Gearing Trust, Christie Group, Cineworld Group, Edinburgh Inv Trust, Helios Underwriting, Hunting, Johnson Matthey, Judges Scientific, Learning Technologies Group , London Security, M&C Saatchi, Restore, Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust, Vodafone Group, Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund Ltd, WPP, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares

Friday 10 June

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Keystone Inv Trust, Lok'n Store Group, Ranger Direct Lending Fund

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
IBM Corp., M Winkworth

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)
Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS
Fuller Smith & Turner

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fidessa Group, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Capital Shares, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares

AGMS
Baker Steel Resources Trust Ltd., Bioquell, Bisichi Mining, M. P. Evans Group, M. P. Evans Group, Public Joint Stock Company Inter Rao Ues GDR (REG S), Symphony Environmental Technologies, Volga Gas

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Augean, Barr (A.G.), Card Factory, Carillion, Exova Group , Fidessa Group, Frenkel Topping Group, G4S, Irish Continental Group Units, JZ Capital Partners Ltd, Keller Group, Neptune-Calculus Income & Growth VCT, Phoenix Spree Deutschland Limited SHS NPV , Robert Walters, Science Group , Woodford Patient Capital Trust