Inflation likely to remain well below 2pc mark – London Week Ahead
Inflation figures released today are likely to show that price rises, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), remained far below the Bank of England’s two per cent “target” in October.
Most economists expect inflation to remain unchanged at 1.2 per cent, although September’s fall from 1.5 per cent in August means there is a chance that prices could have risen at a faster pace last month.
If inflation dips below one per cent, Bank governor Mark Carney must write an open letter to the Chancellor to explain the undershoot.
Minutes of the Bank’s latest interest rate meeting are also published this week.
While its latest Inflation Report struck a dovish tone, economists expect at least one of the Monetary Policy Committee’s two rebels – Martin Weale and Ian McCafferty – to have maintained their call for a rate rise.
Today sees the release of reports from Diploma, Latchways, Majestic Wine, Mitie Group, Redcentric, ReNeuron Group, Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust and Software Radio Technology.
Tomorrow, reports will be issued by easyJet, Enterprise Inns, British Land, Carclo, CML Microsystems, Enteq Upstream, Entertainment One Limited, Halma, Intermediate Capital Group, Mckay Securities, Quotient, HomeServe, B&M European Value Retail, SAPicton Property Income, Sepura, UK Mail Group and Vectura Group. Also, the Producer Price and Retail Price indices will be published, as well as the European Union’s new car registrations.
On Wednesday, Avon Rubber, Optos, Big Yellow Group, HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd, ICAP, Royal Mail, Telecom Plus and Frutarom Industries all report.
Thursday sees reports by AB Dynamics, Babcock International Group, Investec, Johnson Matthey, NewRiver Retail, QinetiQ Group, Nord Gold, Euromoney Institutional Investor, Grainger, Superglass Holdings and UDG Healthcare.
UK economic announcements include the Confederation of British Industry’s trends surveys, internet retail sales and retail sales.
On Friday, reports will be issued by Alpha Real Trust, Hangar 8, Jaywing, Stellar Diamonds, Fuller Smith & Turner and Future. The Reckitt Benckiser Group will hold a demerger meeting.