The Week Ahead
Week commencing 26 January
Chris Beauchamp's insight
United States (US) earnings season steps up into high gear this week, as major tech names Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Tesla report, along with oil majors Chevron and Exxon. This week and next mark the peak of the season, with a hefty chunk of the S&P 500 updating the market. United Kingdom (UK) numbers are plentiful too, including the FTSE 100’s star performer for 2025, silver miner Fresnillo.
Economic reports
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Weekly view
9am – German IFO index (January): index expected to rise to 88.4 from 87.6. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
1.30pm – US durable goods orders (November): previous reading -2.2%. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US consumer confidence (January). Markets to watch: USD crosses
12.30am – Australia inflation (December): month-on-month (MoM) rate to rise to 0.3% and year-on-year (YoY) to fall to 2.9%. Markets to watch: AUD crosses
2.45pm – Bank of Canada rate decision: rates expected to be held at 2.25%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
3.30pm – EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 23 January). Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
7pm – Federal Reserve (Fed) rate decision: rates expected to be left unchanged at 3.75%, as the Fed waits to see if the economic outlook continues to weaken. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
5am – Japan consumer confidence (January): expected to rise to 37.6 from 37.2. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
1.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 24 January). Markets to watch: USD crosses
9am – Germany gross domestic product (GDP) (Q4, flash): quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) rate expected to rise to 0.2% and YoY to 0.5% from 0.3%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
1pm – Germany inflation (January, preliminary): YoY rate expected to rise to 1.9% from 1.8%, and MoM to drop to -0.1% from 0%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
1.30pm – US producer price index (PPI) (December): previous reading 0.2% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses
2.45pm – US Chicago purchasing managers index (PMI)(January): previous reading 43.5. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Monday
9am – German IFO index (January): index expected to rise to 88.4 from 87.6. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
1.30pm – US durable goods orders (November): previous reading -2.2%. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Tuesday
3pm – US consumer confidence (January). Markets to watch: USD crosses
Wednesday
12.30am – Australia inflation (December): MoM rate to rise to 0.3% and YoY to fall to 2.9%. Markets to watch: AUD crosses
2.45pm – Bank of Canada rate decision: rates expected to be held at 2.25%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
3.30pm – EIA crude oil inventories (w/e 23 January). Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
7pm – Fed rate decision: rates expected to be left unchanged at 3.75%, as the Fed waits to see if the economic outlook continues to weaken. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
Thursday
5am – Japan consumer confidence (January): expected to rise to 37.6 from 37.2. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
1.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 24 January). Markets to watch: USD crosses
Friday
9am – Germany GDP (Q4, flash): QoQ rate expected to rise to 0.2% and YoY to 0.5% from 0.3%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
1pm – Germany inflation (January, preliminary): YoY rate expected to rise to 1.9% from 1.8%, and MoM to drop to -0.1% from 0%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
1.30pm – US PPI (December): previous reading 0.2% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses
2.45pm – US Chicago PMI (January): previous reading 43.5. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Company announcements
Dividends
FTSE ex-dividend dates (29th January 2026):
FTSE 100: None
FTSE 250: Pennon, Victrex, SSP, Hollywood Bowl, Primary Health Properties
Index adjustments
|
Monday 26 January |
Tuesday 27 January |
Wednesday 28 January |
Thursday 29 January |
Friday 30 January |
Monday 2 February |
| FTSE 100 | 6.6 | |||||
| Australia 200 | ||||||
| Wall Street | ||||||
| US 500 | 0.02 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.50 | 0.26 | 0.11 |
| Nasdaq 100 | 0.53 | 0.37 | 2.53 | |||
| Netherlands 25 | ||||||
| US Russell 2000 | 0.01 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 0.12 | 0.06 |
| China H-Shares | ||||||
| Japan 225 | 2.4 | |||||
| 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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