Week ahead: Fed and BoE meetings in focus
All eyes over the coming week will be on the US Federal Reserve as policymakers met to decide on interest rates.
A further 25 basis point reduction in official short-term interest rates is anticipated, but what market participants are really interested in is the outlook for 2025.
As of Friday evening, Fed funds futures are fully discounting just two more 25bp rate cuts by the end of the following year and 65% odds of a third.
The Fed's decision will come on Wednesday.
On Thursday it would be the turn of the Bank of England and the Monetary Policy Committee was expected to keep rates on hold.
Ahead of the MPC meetings, Tuesday will bring with it the latest UK employment report, whilst November's consumer price report is due out on Wednesday.
Stateside, Tuesday will see the release of monthly industrial production and retail sales numbers.
Friday meanwhile will bring with it personal income and spending data in the US covering the month of November, including the related price deflators, one of which is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge.
Rate-setters in Japan and China are also scheduled to meet to decide on rates, on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
A raft of purchasing managers' surveys for manufacturing and services in the UK, euro area and US will be published on Monday and could easily influence financial markets should they yield surprises.
Monday 16 December
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Calnex Solutions , Puma Vct 13
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)
GMS
Benchmark Holdings
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Steppe Cement Ltd
AGMS
ADVFN, Alien Metals Limited NPV (DI), Allergy Therapeutics, APQ Global Limited, Helium One Group Ltd (DI), T42 Iot Tracking Solutions NPV, Tristel
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Videndum
Tuesday 17 December
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)
Business Inventories (US) (15:00)
Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
Industrial Production (US) (14:15)
Retail Sales (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales Less Autos (US) (13:30)
ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)
FINALS
Chemring Group
IMSS
Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Softcat
EGMS
EJF Investments Ltd NPV
AGMS
Gfinity , GS Chain, Netcall
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Claimant Count Rate (07:00)
Unemployment Rate (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Softcat, Volution Group
Wednesday 18 December
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
CRH (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Building Permits (US) (13:30)
Consumer Confidence (US) (13:30)
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Current Account (US) (13:30)
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (EU) (10:00)
Housing Starts (US) (13:30)
Housing Starts (US) (15:00)
GMS
Caledonia Investments, Renalytix (Reg S)
FINALS
IntegraFin Holding
EGMS
Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Limited Gdr (Each Repr 5 A Shs Rmb1) (Reg S)
AGMS
Beacon Energy NPV, Beeks Financial Cloud Group, DotDigital Group, Greatland Gold, Karelian Diamond Resources (CDI), Ovoca Bio (CDI), Wildcat Petroleum
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (07:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (07:00)
Retail Price Index (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Baillie Gifford Japan Trust, Craneware, Croma Security Solutions Group, London Finance & Investment Group
Thursday 19 December
INTERIMS
FIH Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
International Public Partnerships Ltd., Octopus Titan VCT
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Halma, JPMorgan European Discovery Trust, Mitie Group, Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, MS International, NewRiver REIT, Northern 2 VCT, Northern 3 VCT, Northern Venture Trust, Octopus AIM VCT, Pharos Energy , ProVen Growth & Income VCT, ProVen VCT, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
British American Tobacco, Law Debenture Corp., Mercantile Investment Trust (The)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (EU) (09:00)
Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)
GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)
GMS
Playtech
FINALS
Roadside Real Estate
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Amati AIM Vct
AGMS
Avation, AVI Global Trust , BATM Advanced Communications Ltd., Boston International Holdings, Frontier IP Group, Mila Resources, Northamber, Plaza Centers NV, Renalytix (Reg S), Sabien Technology Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Time Finance
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Barings Emerging Emea Opportunities , Smart (J) & Co., Topps Tiles
Friday 20 December
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited NPV, Marks Electrical Group, Record, Sainsbury (J), Schroder BSC Social Impact Trust, Telecom Plus, Triad Group, Yu Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
BlackRock World Mining Trust, BP, Vaalco Energy, Inc (DI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Gross Domestic Product (US) (13:30)
Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)
Personal Income (US) (13:30)
Personal Spending (US) (13:30)
U. of Michigan Confidence (Final) (US) (15:00)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
abrdn Asia Focus, Ithaca Energy, Petershill Partners
AGMS
Fintech Asia Limited Npv, Macau Property Opportunities Fund Ltd., Vast Resources
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)
Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)
Retail Sales (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Avingtrans, BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, Tristel