Week ahead: US CPI, ECB in focus

But financial markets' attention is likely to be on two risk events, above all the others.

Those are the US consumer price data set for release on Wednesday and the European Central Bank's policy meeting on the following day.

The former are expected to show that headline inflation rose by 0.6% month-on-month in August, pushing the annual rate of increase to 3.6%. Core CPI on the other hand is seen slowing by four tenths of a percentage point to 4.3% year-on-year.

Rate-setters at the ECB meanwhile are expected to keep their powder dry, with official short-term interest rates seen steady at 4.25% - although economists expect the decision to be a close call.

But policymakers are also expected to leave the door open to another rate hike at subsequent meetings, in what some observers believe may prove to be their last move.

Other first-tier economic reports due out in the States include March retail sales data on Wednesday and the preliminary results of the University of Michigan's September consumer confidence survey on Friday.

On home shores meanwhile, UK employment figures for the month of July will be published on Tuesday and the July gross domestic product report on Wednesday.

Investors the world over will also be keeping close tabs on a stream of releases in the People's Republic of China.

Those will include the latest CPI numbers on 9 September, money supply growth data on Tuesday and multiple activity indicators on Friday.

Across the Channel, the ZEW Institute's economic confidence index for Germany is due out on Tuesday.

French and Italian CPI readings for August will follow on the last day of the working week.

Monday September 11

INTERIMS

Engage XR Holdings (CDI), Inspired, M. P. Evans Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Rentokil Initial

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Thomaslloyd Energy Impact Trust , Thomaslloyd Energy Impact Trust

AGMS

SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust

Tuesday September 12

INTERIMS

Cornerstone FS, Creo Medical Group, Dowlais Group, Elecosoft Public Limited Company, Equals Group , Harworth Group, Hvivo, IQE, Itaconix , JTC, Ocean Harvest Technology Group , Property Franchise Group, Smart Metering Systems, The Gym Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Foxtons Group , Lloyds Banking Group, LMS Capital

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

GMS

OMV Petrom S.A. GDR (REG S)

FINALS

Feedback, Mattioli Woods, Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI)

AGMS

Northern Bear, RC365 Holding , Rockwood Strategic, Warehouse Reit

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Associated British Foods

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Ashtead Group, Lindsell Train Inv Trust

Wednesday September 13

INTERIMS

Argentex Group , Brave Bison Group, Central Asia Metals, Tullow Oil

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Budget Statement (US) (19:00)

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS

Frontier Developments, Made Tech Group , Pan African Resources, Ricardo

AGMS

BH Macro Ltd. GBP Shares, Castelnau Group Limited, Creightons, Eckoh, Hornby, Marlowe, Worsley Investors Limited NPV

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

On The Beach Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (EU) (07:00)

Index of Services (07:00)

Industrial Production (EU) (07:00)

Manufacturing Production (EU) (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

BT Group, Monks Inv Trust

Thursday September 14

INTERIMS

Arecor Therapeutics , Checkit, Churchill China, Foresight Solar Fund Limited, Glenveagh Properties (CDI), Keystone Law Group , M&C Saatchi, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Portmeirion Group, Spire Healthcare Group, THG , Uniphar (CDI)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Fresnillo

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Apax Global Alpha Limited , Bakkavor Group , Belvoir Group, Cairn Homes (CDI), Camellia, Dalata Hotel Group (CDI), Eurocell , Franchise Brands, Gulf Investment Fund, International Public Partnerships Ltd., Intertek Group, Irish Continental Group Units (Comp) (CDI), Lords Group Trading, Luceco , Macfarlane Group, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Melrose Industries, Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) C Limited NPV, TT Electronics, Unite Group, Vector Capital

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Energean

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Inventories (US) (15:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)

Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Brooks Macdonald Group, Kier Group, MJ Gleeson , Renishaw

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alfa Financial Software Holdings , FBD Holdings (CDI)

AGMS

Aew UK Reit, Altitude Group, Auto Trader Group , Baker Steel Resources Trust Ltd., Belluscura , IG Design Group, Mode Global Holdings , Twentyfour Income Fund Limited Ord Red

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

IG Group Holdings, Trainline

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Colefax Group, DSW Capital, LendInvest , National Westminster 9%pf, South32 Limited (DI) , Vianet Group

Friday September 15

INTERIMS

VH Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

4Imprint Group, Barclays, Clarkson, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Ibstock , IMI, Informa, Lancashire Holdings Limited, LLoyds Banking Group 6.475% Non-Cum Pref Shares, NATWEST GROUP, Newcastle 12 5/8% Perm Int Bearing Shs #1000, Reckitt Benckiser Group, Spirent Communications, TI Fluid Systems, Vesuvius

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Brunner Inv Trust, Canadian General Investments Ltd., Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD), Petrotal Corporation NPV (DI), Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited NPV

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Industrial Production (US) (14:15)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Baillie Gifford European Growth Trust , Niox Group, Northern Bear

EGMS

Blackstone Loan Financing Limited (EUR)

AGMS

Citius Resources, Insig AI, Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, Trifast

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Alpha Real Trust Ltd.

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Baillie Gifford UK Growth Trust, Eneraqua Technologies, Halfords Group, Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, Northern Bear, Thames Ventures Vct 1