Week ahead: US Fed, ECB, Tech earnings in focus

(Sharecast News) - 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