Week ahead: US data, Next in focus after Christmas break

27th Dec 2013 15:54

Things are set to pick up slightly next week as traders begin to return to their desks following the Christmas break.Nevertheless, volumes are still expected to be on the light side given that UK markets have a half-session on Tuesday and a day off on Wednesday for the New Year's celebrations.Things look pretty thin on the ground as far as macroeconomic announcements are concerned, with very little UK data being released. There will, however, be a raft of US data to watch out for as economic indicators from the States continue to be closely scrutinised following this month's decision by the Federal Reserve to scale back stimulus. US pending home sales are due out on Monday, followed by the Chicago purchasing managers' index and consumer confidence data on Tuesday, jobless claims and ISM manufacturing figures on Thursday and auto sales on Friday.On the company front, the only notable blue chip to report is High Street retailer Next, whose fourth-quarter trading update will likely be used as a key gauge for consumer sentiment over the important holiday shopping season.The company, which operates fashion, children and homewares departments, will probably be under a great deal of pressure to impress given that its sales update will be on the period to December 24th. Any comments on current trading will also be closely inspected after decent Boxing Day industry figures, which showed that spending at UK stores was up 5.7% on last year as shoppers took advantage of the sales.Monday December 30INTERIMSMax PetroleumINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEPlastics Capital, Rensburg AIM VCTINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Payments (GER) (07:00)Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)PMI Retail (EU) (09:00)PMI Retail (GER) (08:55)GMSSeeing Machines Ltd., Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)ANNUAL REPORTAfrican Potash LtdEGMSEmblaze Ltd., GEONG International Ltd., Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADSAGMSPromethean, Red Rock Resources, Regency Mines, SimiGon Ltd. (DI), SPDI Secure Property Development & Investment EUR (DI), Spitfire Oil Ltd. (DI), ZCCM Investments Holdings 'B' SharesUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSPMI Retail (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEGCP Infrastructure Investments LtdTuesday December 31INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEEuropean Residual Income Investments CellINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEAveva Group, Bisichi Mining, Dart Group, F&C Global Smaller Companies, Halma, ICAP, Jupiter Second Split Trust Geared Gwth Shares, KCOM Group, Micro Focus InternationalQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEMedicX Fund Ltd., Premier Energy & Water TrustQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEMercantile Investment Trust (The), Schroder Income Growth Fund, Torchmark Corp.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSChicago PMI (US) (13:45)Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)GMSEuropean Islamic Investment BankSPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEDirect Line Insurance GroupSPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEScottish Inv TrustAGMSAlbemarle & Bond HoldingsFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAsian Citrus HoldingFINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEHargreave Hale AIM VCT 1, JPMorgan Asian Inv Trust, Proactis Holdings, Schroder Asia Pacific Fund, Scottish Inv TrustWednesday January 01No results scheduledThursday January 02INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBunzl, Fuller Smith & Turner, Great Portland Estates, Headlam Group, NextQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEJP Morgan Chase & CoINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)Construction Spending (US) (15:00)Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)ISM Manufacturing (US) (15:00)ISM Prices Paid (US) (15:00)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)PMI Manufacturing (EU) (09:00)PMI Manufacturing (GER) (08:55)SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATERights & Issues Inv Trust Capital SharesUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSPMI Manufacturing (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEA&J Mucklow GroupFriday January 03INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAmec, Brown (N.) Group, Castings, China Chaintek United Co. Limited, Dee Valley Group, Dee Valley Group (Non-Voting), Hogg Robinson Group, Homeserve, Majestic Wine, MS International, Sainsbury (J), Slingsby H.C, Tate & Lyle, Value and Income Trust, VPINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSAuto Sales (US) (15:00)TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSNextUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSConsumer Credit (09:30)M4 Money Supply (09:30)M4 Sterling Lending (09:30)Mortgage Approvals (09:30)PMI Construction (09:30)BC