Week ahead: US non-farm payrolls, Trade tensions in focus

(Sharecast News) - Investors' attention over the coming week will be on the US non-farm payrolls report for the month of January. Economists' forecasts are calling for a relatively solid reading of 150,000 in hiring after the prior month's print of 256,000.

Against that backdrop, market participants will be monitoring the newsflow around the ongoing trade tensions.

Not least regarding what the reaction of Canada, China and Mexico might be.

Just as important, they will be trying to glean to what extent - or not - the trade tariffs levied by Washington will be permanent.

"There are three reasons why we think the 25% tariffs may not be permanent," analysts at BofA told clients in a research note.

"First, they would be disruptive for the US, and US business groups are already exerting pressure on the Trump administration. Second, they will be hard to implement due to the high degree of integration in manufacturing in North America. Lastly, we think Canada and Mexico are likely to agree to most of Trump's terms on migration and drugs."

For its part, Bank is expected to announce a 25 basis point rate reduction on Thursday to 4.50%.

Governor Andrew Bailey meanwhile is seen cutting the monetary authority's forecast for UK GDP growth in 2025 from 1.5% to 1.0%.

Lastly, a raft of manufacturing and services sector Purchasing Managers' Indices are due out in China, euro area, UK and US are due out.

Factory PMIs are scheduled to be published on Monday and services PMIs on Wednesday.

Monday 03 February

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Workspace Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

British American Tobacco, Mercantile Investment Trust (The)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Construction Spending (US) (15:00)

ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)

ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)

GMS

Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust, Gelion, Rockwood Strategic

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Henderson European Trust

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Nokia OYJ

Tuesday 04 February

INTERIMS

Diageo, NWF Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Johnson Matthey, Mitie Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Factory Orders (US) (15:00)

GMS

CQS Natural Resources Growth and Income

FINALS

Crest Nicholson Holdings

AGMS

Asia Dragon Trust , Ten Lifestyle Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Entain, Vodafone Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Sales Monitor (00:01)

Wednesday 05 February

INTERIMS

Made Tech Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Asia Dragon Trust , BT Group, JPMorgan European Discovery Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)

ISM Services (US) (15:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

PMI Composite (US) (14:45)

PMI Services (US) (14:45)

Q4

GSK

GMS

Coro Energy, Jaywing

FINALS

Banco Santander S.A., Pressure Technologies

AGMS

Baillie Gifford European Growth Trust , Future, Grainger, Grainger

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

DCC (CDI), SSE

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Services (09:30)

Thursday 06 February

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV, Custodian Property Income Reit, Picton Property Income Ltd

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

FINALS

AstraZeneca

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Smiths News

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Taylor Maritime Investments Limited NPV

AGMS

Compass Group, Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Intuitive Investments Group , Intuitive Investments Group , The Sage Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Compass Group, Syncona Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Greencore Group (CDI), Smiths News , WH Smith

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Avon Technologies , Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Paragon Banking Group, Renew Holdings, Treatt, Victorian Plumbing Group

Friday 07 February

INTERIMS

Ashmore Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Ashtead Group, Bisichi , Experian, Focusrite, Jet2, QinetiQ Group, Severfield, Vodafone Group, XPS Pensions Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, CT UK High Income Trust, CT UK High Income Trust B

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (13:30)

ANNUAL REPORT

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust

AGMS

Agronomics Limited, Victrex plc

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Halifax House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AJ Bell, Barings Emerging Emea Opportunities , Netcall, Schroder Asia Pacific Fund, Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust, Tracsis