Week ahead: UK Withdrawal, China data in focus
All eyes will shift back towards Westminster this coming week, with the Prime Minister set to present her 'Plan B' for Britain's withdrawal from the European Union on Monday, even as she comes under pressure from many sides to cede on some of her 'red lines'.
With an extension of Article 50 increasingly likely, how much ground each side concedes over the coming week may help clarify for just how long such an extension may run, said analysts at Barclays Research.
"A potential game changer could be an extension of Article 50 negotiations beyond six months. Moving the 'ticking clock' would allow a materially wider range of outcomes, including a no-Brexit scenario," they added in a research note sent to clients.
Against that backdrop, on Tuesday, ONS will publish its employment report for December, followed by CBI surveys on factory and retail sector conditions on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
The other main point of focus over the week will be a slew of Chinese data covering fourth quarter GDP, on Monday, as well as on retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment, all for the month of December.
Depending on how those turn out, markets may or may not shift their expectations for further policy easing out of Beijing.
But of course, any important headlines that might surface on the US-China trade front or as regards the partial government shutdown in the States could easily swamp other data and headlines.
The week will also be chock-full when it comes to central banks, with the Bank of Japan set to decide on policy on Wednesday, followed by the European Central Bank on Thursday.
ECB Governing Council members in particular are expected to display a more cautious attitude.
Also scheduled for Thursday are policy meetings in South Korea, Malaysia and Norway.
In terms of Eurozone data, the key releases to watch out for will be the ZEW institute's economic confidence indices for January, on Tuesday, followed by the IFO business confidence gauge on Friday.
IHS Markit's closely-followed manufacturing and services sector PMIs for the euro area are also due out on the last day of the week.
Stateside, markets will remain closed on Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.
Come Tuesday and throughout the entire week, invstors' attention will be on the flow of quarterly corporate results.
Data on durable goods orders and new home sales are both scheduled for Friday, but will not be published unless the government shutdown unexpectedly ends.
Monday January 21
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Bonmarche Holdings, Urban Exposure
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Martin Luther King holiday in US (markets closed).
Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
FINALS
Premier Veterinary Group
EGMS
Plus500 Ltd (DI)
AGMS
Avacta Group, easyHotel
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Cambria Automobiles
Tuesday January 22
INTERIMS
Accrol Group Holdings, IG Group Holdings
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)
FINALS
Velocity Composites
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus
EGMS
Athelney Trust
AGMS
European Investment Trust, Keystone Inv Trust, Mitchells & Butlers, Polo Resources Ltd. (DI), Sanderson Group, Standard Life Private Equity Trust
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Close Brothers Group, Dixons Carphone , Midwich Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Inventories (US) (15:00)
CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (11:00)
Claimant Count Rate (08:30)
Public Sector Net Borrowing (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus , Proactis Holdings
Wednesday January 23
INTERIMS
Joules Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Q3
Burberry Group
FINALS
Harwood Wealth Management Group
EGMS
AXA Property Trust Limited
AGMS
Edinburgh Worldwide Inv Trust, Feedback, Marston's, McCarthy & Stone, Redx Pharma, Schroder Asia Pacific Fund, Troy Income & Growth Trust, WH Smith
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Antofagasta, Brewin Dolphin Holdings, Burberry Group, Computacenter, Fresnillo, Great Portland Estates, Petropavlovsk, Wetherspoon (J.D.), WH Smith
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Diploma, Majedie Investments
Thursday January 24
INTERIMS
NCC Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hibernia Reit
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
City of London 4.2% Cum 1st Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust 4.2% Non-Cum 2nd Prf Stk, City of London Investment Trust Preference Ord Stk 14% Non-Cumulative 1, Pennon Group, Solid State, Stagecoach Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
City of London Inv Trust, Custodian Reit , M Winkworth
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)
GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
FINALS
Benchmark Holdings , Blue Prism Group
DRILLING REPORT
Anglo American, Kaz Minerals
AGMS
Countryside Properties, Equatorial Palm Oil, ITE Group, RDI Reit , Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
CMC Markets, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), EMIS Group, Fevertree Drinks, Haynes Publishing Group, ITE Group, Kier Group, NCC Group, Restaurant Group, St James's Place
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Cardiff Property, easyHotel, Gooch & Housego, Manchester & London Investment Trust, RWS Holdings, Watkin Jones
Friday January 25
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, Auto Trader Group , Cranswick, Dixons Carphone , FIH Group , Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), Invesco Asia Trust, Latham (James), Northern 2 VCT, Northern 3 VCT, Northgate, RPC Group, Speedy Hire, Superdry
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust , General Electric Co, Real Estate Investors, Standard Life Private Equity Trust, Value and Income Trust
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (15:00)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Oxford Metrics, Seneca Growth Capital Vct
EGMS
Kcell Joint Stock Co GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Altona Energy, NU-Oil And Gas , Regency Mines, Treatt
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Barr (A.G.)
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)
Manufacturing Production (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Character Group, Inland Homes