Week ahead: BoE, Fed and BoJ policy announcements in focus

11th Sep 2026 14:34

(Sharecast News) - Among the highlights next week will be policy announcements from the Bank of England, the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan, as well as first-half results from housebuilder Barratt Redrow.

On Monday, first-half results are due from HGCapital Trust, Globaldata, Keystone Law Group, M. P. Evans and Greencoat Renewables.

On Tuesday, investors will eye full-year results from Kier Group and MJ Gleeson, as well as first-half results from Fintel and Accesso Technology. On the macro front, Chinese industrial production, retail sales and fixed asset investment figures for August are due, while in the UK, the latest jobs data will be out and in Germany, the ZEW economic sentiment survey for September will be released.

Wednesday will bring full-year results from housebuilder Barratt Redrow and a trading update from online greeting cards and gifts retailer Moonpig Group.

As far as Barratt goes, AJ Bell analysts Russ Mould and Danni Hewson said: "It's not that easy being a housebuilder in 2026. Cue the tiniest of violins given the bumper returns these businesses have enjoyed for large parts of the last decade or so, but there's no doubt that Barratt Redrow and its peers face a tough backdrop.

"A higher cost of borrowing is affecting the affordability and availability of mortgages and this is feeding into a difficult UK property market as the impact of the Iran war and resulting energy price shock reverberate through the economy. Combined with that, housebuilders are facing mounting costs of their own and that has put their margins in a vice. Against that backdrop Barratt's full-year trading update issued in July was resilient.

"A key item was the scrapping of dividends (bar a nominal amount) as the company prioritises buybacks at a time when its shares trade at a big discount to net asset value. Barratt has a decent cash buffer to allow it to withstand what could be a turbulent period while still rewarding shareholders for their patience with buybacks.

"Given much of the full-year outcome has already been disclosed, the focus is likely to be on trading in recent weeks and whether there is any shift in Barratt's guidance for 3% to 4% build cost inflation for the current financial year."

On the macroeconomic calendar, UK consumer price and producer price inflation for August will be in focus, while across the pond, retail sales figures for August will be in the spotlight. Investors will also turn their attention to the last policy announcement from the US Federal Reserve, with a rate hike looking likely after Friday's inflation print.

Figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday 11 September showed the annual change in the consumer price index was 3.4% last month, in line with July's reading and matching the consensus forecast.

Core inflation, which excludes food and energy costs that can be volatile month to month, eased to 2.4% in August from 2.5% in July.

Month-on-month, meanwhile, inflation rose to 0.4.% in August from 0.1% in July.

Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo Markets, pointed out that front-end yields shot higher and the long-end fell after the US CPI report sent "a strong market signal that the Fed will raise rates next week". He said market implied odds for a rate hike rose to about 90% from under 70% before the print, "implying it's a done deal".

On Thursday, homeware and clothing retailer Next will publish first-half numbers, but the main focus is expected to be on the Bank of England's rate decision. Danske Bank said its base case remains for an unchanged Bank Rate until the second quarter of 2027, when the BoE can resume the cutting cycle and deliver another 25bp rate cut.

"A Bank Rate of 3.75% is already restrictive and we are more sceptical about the growth outlook for H2," it said. "If energy markets do not improve and the economy continues to look resilient, then we would expect a rate hike, even in the absence of spillovers to broader price-setting. The cost of an 'insurance hike' has declined over recent months."

In the US, housing starts and building permits data for August will be eyed.

Friday brings the latest policy decision from the Bank of Japan, as well as UK retail sales figures for August.

ING said a 25 bp hike to 1.25% is widely expected from the BoJ, with the market close to pricing in a further 25bp hike by the end of the year. "Money market rates have surged since June, raising the risk of a yen-negative reaction if the BoJ fails to confirm a more aggressive tightening cycle," it said.