Week ahead: UK general election and US-China trade in focus.


Financial markets' focus over the coming week will be squarely on the result of the general election on Thursday, with investors keen, above all, on avoiding another hung parliament.

Source: Sharecast

But US-China trade won't be far from their minds, what with the next round of US trade tariffs still set to go ahead on at the end of the week, on the 15th.

Against that backdrop, Chinese foreign trade data for November are set for release on Saturday, followed by a reading on consumer prices for that same month due out on Tuesday.

Central banks will also garner a fair bit of attention, with rate-setters at the Federal Reserve set to meet to decide on policy on Wednesday, followed by the European Central Bank and Swiss National Bank the next day.

Among some of the key data releases to watch out for, the ZEW institute's closely-followed economic sentiment index for Germany is scheduled for release on Tuesday, the Bank of Japan's Tankan business confidence survey on Thursday and a report on monthly US retail sales on Friday.

Monday December 09

INTERIMS

Circle Property , The Panoply Holdings

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Current Account (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Hardide, Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust

AGMS

Hadrian's Wall Secured Investments, River and Mercantile Group

Tuesday December 10

INTERIMS

Begbies Traynor Group, Mind Gym, Photo-Me International

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Spire Healthcare Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION COM STK USD0.20 (CDI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

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

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

Q2

Ashtead Group

FINALS

Driver Group, Nexus Infrastructure , Oxford Biodynamics , RWS Holdings

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Judges Scientific

AGMS

Ashley House, Bellway, Upland Resources Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (09:30)

Gross Domestic Product (09:30)

Index of Services (09:30)

Industrial Production (09:30)

Manufacturing Production (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust

Wednesday December 11

INTERIMS

DWF Group , Kromek Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

DCC

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS

Autins Group, Stagecoach Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus

AGMS

Aberdeen Latin American Income Fund Ltd , Amedeo Air Four Plus Limited, AXA Property Trust Limited NPV, BowLeven, Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings), Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd., Minds + Machines Group Limited (DI), Westmount Energy Ltd., YouGov

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ted Baker

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus , Fidelity Asian Values, Litigation Capital Management Limited (DI)

Thursday December 12

INTERIMS

Dixons Carphone , Fuller Smith & Turner, Polar Capital Technology Trust, Purplebricks Group, Versarien , Vianet Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

British American Inv Trust, Inspired Energy

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

3i Group, 600 Group, Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, Charles Stanley Group, Clipper Logistics , Cranswick, Discoverie Group, FIH Group , Genel Energy, JPMorgan Euro Small Co. Trust, Manolete Partners, Northgate, OPG Power Ventures, Severfield, ULS Technology , Ventus VCT D Shs, Ventus 2 VCT, Ventus 2 VCT 'C' Shares, Ventus 2 VCT D Shs, Ventus VCT, Ventus VCT 'C' Shares, VP

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Brunner Inv Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Assura , BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, Cineworld Group, Contour Global , Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, XP Power Ltd. (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)

FINALS

CareTech Holding, TUI AG Reg Shs (DI)

AGMS

Amiad Water Systems Ltd, Bacanora Lithium, Bioventix, Blancco Technology Group, Fidelity Special Values, Lok'n Store Group, Orchard Funding Group , Pipehawk, Volution Group, Wilmcote Holdings NPV, Zinc Media Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ocado Group, PZ Cussons, Serco Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

1pm, European Opportunities Trust

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Associated British Foods, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Marston's, NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Limited Ext Shs, Northamber, Numis Corporation, Oxford Metrics, Pan African Resources

Friday December 13

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Braemar Shipping Services, C&C Group, CML Microsystems, Rotala, System1 Group, Tatton Asset Management , Telecom Plus, Whitbread

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Carnival

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Inventories (US) (15:00)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Hollywood Bowl Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Signature Aviation , Softcat

AGMS

Amur Minerals Corporation NPV, Meikles Ltd., Up Global Sourcing Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balfour Beatty, SThree

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aeci 5 1/2% Prf, Baillie Gifford Japan Trust, Genesis Emerging Markets Fund Ltd Ptg NPV, JPMorgan Smaller Companies Inv Trust, MJ Gleeson , Origin Enterprises, Softcat, VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd.

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