Week ahead: Trump, UK employment in focus

(Sharecast News) - All eyes over the coming week will be on the start of the new US administration. Some observers believe that President Donald Trump will move very quickly once in office to begin enacting his policy agenda.

"This week could give us an early taste of how keen he is to hit the ground running, with the California/LA wildfires likely to be top of his agenda," market veteran Michael Hewson said.

"We could also see some fairly rapid executive orders signed which could give us early indications of his thinking on domestic oil and gas, renewables as well as immigration and labour policy."

Trump's inauguration will take place on Monday, Martin Luther King Day, will all US markets closed in observance of the holiday.

Against that backdrop, on Tuesday the Office for National Statistics will publish the November employment report.

Consensus is for the annual rate of growth in average earnings, including bonuses, to have picked up from the 5.2% pace observed in October to 5.6%.

The unemployment rate meanwhile is expected to tick higher by one tenth of a percentage point to 4.4%.

It will be followed the next day by figures for public sector net borrowing in December.

On Friday, consultancy S&P Global will release its purchasing managers' surveys for manufacturing and services in the euro area, UK, and US covering the month of January.

The Bank of Japan will also announce its latest interest rate decision at the end of the week.

Also due out across the Channel, on Tuesday, is the ZEW institute's economic confidence gauge for January.

Monday 20 January

TRADING ANOUNCEMENTS

Midwich Group

GMs

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aeorema Communications

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Tuesday 21 January

INTERIMS

Ilika

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Premier Foods, Marshalls, W.A.G Payment Solutions, Kier Group

AGMs

Honye Financial Services Limited (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

Wednesday 22 January

FINALS

Residential Secure Income, LBG Media

Q1

easyJet

Q4

PensionBee Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Intermediate Capital Group, Quilter, Wetherspoon (J.D.)

AGMs

Tracsis, JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust, ASOS

GMs

Kavango Resources, Herald Investment Trust

ANNUAL REPORT

Residential Secure Income

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, Northern Venture Trust, Pharos Energy, Northern 3 VCT, Northern 2 VCT

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Thursday 23 January

FINALS

Nexus Infrastructure, LPA Group, Watkin Jones

INTERIMS

Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Associated British Foods, Cmc Markets, Mitie Group

AGMs

Goldplat, Botswana Diamonds, SRT Marine Systems

EGMs

Roebuck Food Group Public Limited Company (CDI)

GMs

BlackRock American Income Trust

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Carr's Group, Gooch & Housego, Victrex plc, Origin Enterprises (CDI), Tracsis

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Bankers Inv Trust, Hansa Investment Company Limited 'A' Non Vtg (DI), NB Private Equity Partners Ltd.

Games Workshop Group, Foresight Solar Fund Limited

Abrdn Asian Income Fund Limited NPV, Brickability Group, Solid State, CQS New City High Yield Fund Limited, Elixirr International, Hansa Investment Company Limited (DI)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

The Global Smaller Companies Trust, Sirius Real Estate Ltd.

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Latham (James), Personal Assets Trust, Big Yellow Group, Discoverie Group, Cranswick, Auto Trader Group

International Biotech Trust, Baltic Classifieds Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

M Winkworth, City of London Inv Trust

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Law Debenture Corp.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Friday 24 January

INTERIMS

TheWorks.Co.Uk

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Paragon Banking Group

Burberry Group

GMs

SDX Energy Inc. (DI)

FINAL DIVIDEND DATE

Redcentric

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Latham (James), Personal Assets Trust, Big Yellow Group, Discoverie Group, Cranswick, Auto Trader Group, International Biotech Trust, Baltic Classifieds Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Patria Private Equity Trust, Alpha Real Trust Ltd.

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Final) (US) (15:00)