The Week Ahead
Week commencing 19 January
Chris Beauchamp's insight
United Kingdom (UK) data stands out this week as inflation, employment figures and retail sales are released, but Japanese inflation and the Bank of Japan (BoJ) decision will carry plenty of weight, as will China’s gross domestic product (GDP) figures on Monday. United States (US) earnings season is in full flow, and Netflix becomes the first of the big tech names to report. Oil producer Halliburton and copper miner Freeport McMoRan will also provide plenty of interest given the moves in their respective commodities. In the UK Rio Tinto, Burberry and JD Wetherspoon are key names to watch.
Economic reports
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Weekly view
2am – China fourth quarter (Q4) GDP: Year-on-year (YoY) rate was 4.8% in quarter three (Q3) and quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) was 1.1%. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
1.30pm – Canada consumer price index (CPI) (December): prices expected to rise 2.1% from 2.2%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
7am - UK employment data: October unemployment rate 5.1%, average earnings rose 4.7% for the three months to October. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
10am – German ZEW index (January): index forecast to fall to 42 from 45.8. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
7am – UK CPI (December): prices rose 3.2% YoY and fell 0.2% month-on-month (MoM) in November. Core CPI was 3.2% YoY in November. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
3pm – US pending home sales (December): sales rose 3.3% in November. Markets to watch: USD crosses
1.30pm – US GDP (Q3, final), initial jobless claims (w/e 17 January): GDP rate expected to be 4.3%, claims fell to 198K last week. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index (November): expected to hold at 0.2% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses
11.30pm – Japan CPI (December): previous YoY figure 2.9%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
3am – Bank of Japan (BoJ) rate decision: rates expected to be held at 0.75%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
7am – UK retail sales (December). Markets to watch: GBP crosses
8.30am – German purchasing managers index (PMI) (January, flash): manufacturing PMI expected to rise to 48.5. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
9.30am – UK PMI (January, flash): manufacturing PMI to rise to 50.8, and services to rise to 51.5. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
2.45pm – US PMI (January, flash). Markets to watch: USD crosses
Monday
2am – China GDP (Q4): YoY rate was 4.8% in Q3 and QoQ was 1.1%. Markets to watch: CNH crosses
1.30pm – Canada CPI (December): prices expected to rise 2.1% from 2.2%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
Tuesday
7am - UK employment data: October unemployment rate 5.1%, average earnings rose 4.7% for the three months to October. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
10am – German ZEW index (January): index forecast to fall to 42 from 45.8. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
Wednesday
7am – UK CPI (December): prices rose 3.2% YoY and fell 0.2% MoM in November. Core CPI was 3.2% YoY in November. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
3pm – US pending home sales (December): sales rose 3.3% in November. Markets to watch: USD crosses
Thursday
1.30pm – US GDP (Q3, final), initial jobless claims (w/e 17 January): GDP rate expected to be 4.3%, claims fell to 198K last week. Markets to watch: USD crosses
3pm – US PCE price index (November): expected to hold at 0.2% MoM. Markets to watch: USD crosses
11.30pm – Japan CPI (December): previous YoY figure 2.9%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
Friday
3am – Bank of Japan rate decision: rates expected to be held at 0.75%. Markets to watch: JPY crosses
7am – UK retail sales (December). Markets to watch: GBP crosses
8.30am – German PMI (January, flash): manufacturing PMI expected to rise to 48.5. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
9.30am – UK PMI (January, flash): manufacturing PMI to rise to 50.8, and services to rise to 51.5. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
2.45pm – US PMI (January, flash). Markets to watch: USD crosses
Company announcements
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
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Full-year earnings |
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| Half/ Quarterly earnings | Marshalls |
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| Trading update |
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Dividends
FTSE ex-dividend dates (22 January 2026):
FTSE 100: None
FTSE 250: City of London Investment Trust, WH Smith
Index adjustments
|
Monday 19 January |
Tuesday 20 January |
Wednesday 21 January |
Thursday 22 January |
Friday 23 January |
Monday 26 January |
| FTSE 100 | ||||||
| Australia 200 | ||||||
| Wall Street | 9.3 | 6.5 | ||||
| US 500 | 0.23 | 0.13 | 0.11 | 0.62 | 0.02 | |
| Nasdaq 100 | ||||||
| Netherlands 25 | ||||||
| US Russell 2000 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| China H-Shares | ||||||
| Japan 225 | ||||||
| Hong Kong HS50 | ||||||
| South Africa 40 | 22.0 | |||||
| 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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