Week ahead: US Fed, ECB, Tech earnings in focus
All eyes over the coming week were expected be on several of the world's main central banks as their policymakers met to decide on policy.
Of key importance would be the US Federal Reserve, which was expected to stand pat, but what it had to say about the outlook would in fact be more important.
The Fed was expected to make its announcement on Wednesday evening, after the market close in London.
Bank of Canada on the other hand, which was expected to cut by 25bp, was also due to announce its decision come Wednesday.
Rate-setters at the European Central Bank were also expected to diverge from the Fed and cut rates by 25 basis points, but on Thursday.
In the opinion of Bank of America, cuts at the ECB's next two meetings seemed assured, but not so thereafter.
Nevertheless, they anticipated that the ECB would finally be forced to slash rates to 1.5% "if not lower"-
Also expected on Thursday were readings on US and German fourth quarter GDP growth.
Friday meanwhile would bring with it a reading on the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the price deflator for personal consumption expenditures.
In Asia, China's National Bureau of Statistics was to release its manufacturing sector Purchasing Managers' Index on Monday, with core Tokyo CPI data expected on Thursday.
On the corporate front, US tech icon Microsoft was scheduled to reports quarterly earnings on Wednesday and Apple on Thursday.
Monday 27 January
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (15:01)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
British Smaller Companies VCT, British Smaller Companies VCT 2
AGMS
Renew Holdings
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Martens
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Smart (J) & Co.
Tuesday 28 January
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
NewRiver REIT
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Payments (US) (13:30)
Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
House Price Index (US) (14:00)
FINALS
IDOX, SThree
AGMS
Lowland Investment Co, NCC Group, SSP Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Barr (A.G.), Computacenter, Computacenter, Harworth Group, PPHE Hotel Group Ltd
Wednesday 29 January
INTERIMS
Hargreaves Services, Van Elle Holdings
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Smith (DS), Vianet Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
GFK Consumer Confidence (07:00)
M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)
FINALS
Hardide, Velocity Composites
EGMS
Afarak Group SE (DI)
AGMS
AJ Bell, Imperial Brands , Schroder Asia Pacific Fund, WH Smith
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
AJ Bell, Ceres Power Holdings, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Pets at Home Group , WH Smith
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
Thursday 30 January
INTERIMS
ITM Power, Rank Group, Scancell Holdings
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
IG Group Holdings, Pennon Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Supermarket Income Reit, Tufton Assets Limited Npv
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)
GDP (Preliminary) (GER) (07:00)
Gross Domestic Product (US) (13:30)
Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Services Sentiment (EU) (10:00)
Unemployment Rate (EU) (10:00)
Q3
Airtel Africa , Wizz Air Holdings
Q4
Shell
GMS
Gail (India) Ltd GDR (Reg S)
FINALS
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Patria Private Equity Trust
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BioPharma Credit , Fonix
AGMS
Auction Technology Group , Greencore Group (CDI), Hollywood Bowl Group, Treatt
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
3i Infrastructure, BT Group, St James's Place, The Sage Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (09:30)
M4 Money Supply (09:30)
Mortgage Approvals (09:30)
Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Topps Tiles
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Hollywood Bowl Group, On The Beach Group , Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund, SSP Group
Friday 31 January
INTERIMS
Newmark Security PLC
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ecora Resources, Foresight Group Holdings Limited NPV, Halma, Iomart Group, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
CT Private Equity Trust, Middlefield Canadian Income PCC, Value and Indexed Property Income Trust
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)
Consumer Price Index (GER) (13:00)
Employment Cost Index (US) (13:30)
Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)
Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)
Personal Income (US) (13:30)
Personal Spending (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)
Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ultimate Products
AGMS
Avon Technologies , Focusrite
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
AB Dynamics, BP 8% Cum 1st Prf, BP 9% 2nd Prf, Cardiff Property, Catalyst Media Group, Diploma, DotDigital Group, Lowland Investment Co, S and U 31.5% Prf. Cum. Prf 12.5P, The Character Group, Ultimate Products