Week ahead: Fed and BoE meetings in focus

(Sharecast News) - 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