The Week Ahead
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Week commencing 8 December
Chris Beauchamp insight
This week sees the Federal Reserve (Fed) publish its last decision for 2025, and a cut of 25 basis points is viewed as almost a certainty, with stock markets having rallied in recent weeks in anticipation. The Australian and Canadian central banks meet too, but these are expected to leave rates unchanged. Chinese inflation and UK gross domestic product (GDP) are other points to watch. Meanwhile, corporate news is limited, though UK equipment hire firm Ashtead reports, as do Gamestop, Oracle and Broadcom.
Economic reports
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Weekly view
3am – China trade balance (November): exports expected to rise 3.2% year-on-year (YoY). Markets to watch: CNH crosses
3.30am – Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rate decision: rates expected to be held at 3.6%. Markets to watch: AUD crosses
1.30am – China consumer price index (CPI) (November): prices forecast to rise 0.5% YoY from 0.2% and fall 0.3% from a 0.2% rise month-on-month (MoM). Markets to watch: CNH crosses
2.45pm – Bank of Canada (BoC) rate decision: rates expected to be held at 2.25%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
3.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 5 December): stockpiles rose by 500,000 barrels in the preceding week. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
7pm – Federal Reserve (Fed) rate decision: perhaps the last big event of the year, the committee is expected to cut rates by 25bps to a target band of 3.5% - 3.75%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
1.30pm – initial jobless claims (w/e 6 December). Markets to watch: USD crosses
7am – UK GDP (October): expected to be flat MoM, from -0.1% in September, while the three-month average drops to 0% from 0.1%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
Monday
3am – China trade balance (November): exports expected to rise 3.2% YoY. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
Tuesday
3.30am – RBA rate decision: rates expected to be held at 3.6%. Markets to watch: AUD crosses
Wednesday
1.30am – China CPI (November): prices forecast to rise 0.5% YoY from 0.2% and fall 0.3% from a 0.2% rise MoM. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
2.45pm – BoC rate decision: rates expected to be held at 2.25%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
3.30pm – US EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 5 December): stockpiles rose by 500,000 barrels in the preceding week. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
7pm – Fed rate decision: perhaps the last big event of the year, the committee is expected to cut rates by 25bps to a target band of 3.5% - 3.75%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
Thursday
1.30pm – initial jobless claims (w/e 6 December). Markets to watch: USD crosses
Friday
7am – UK GDP (October): expected to be flat MoM, from -0.1% in September, while the three-month average drops to 0% from 0.1%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
Company announcements
Dividends
FTSE ex-dividend dates (11th December):
FTSE 100: Associated British Foods
FTSE 250: Sirius Real Estate, Investec, Cranswick, discoverIE, ZIGUP, Baltic Classifieds
Index adjustments
|
Monday 8 December |
Tuesday 9 December |
Wednesday 10 December |
Thursday 11 December |
Friday 12 December |
Monday 15 December |
| FTSE 100 | ||||||
| Australia 200 | ||||||
| Wall Street | ||||||
| US 500 | ||||||
| Nasdaq 100 | ||||||
| Netherlands 25 | ||||||
| US Russell 2000 | ||||||
| China H-Shares | ||||||
| Japan 225 | ||||||
| Hong Kong HS50 | ||||||
| South Africa 40 | ||||||
| France 40 | ||||||
| Stoxx 600 |
* Please note these can change without notice
1 Dividend adjustments due to be posted on a bank holiday will usually be posted on the previous working day
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