London Report: UK employment figures to show lift in economy
UK employment figures out this week look set to give further weight to signs of Britain’s growing economy.
The September numbers, to be released on Wednesday along with unemployment statistics, are predicted to be up on last month.
“Strong demand has been met by surging employment in recent months, which is lowering unemployment. We forecast a 150,000 rise in employment and another decline in this unemployment rate to 7.6 per cent,” said Philip Rush, from Nomura.
The rate for average weekly August earnings will come out on Wednesday.
Inflation figures, due out tomorrow, should bring further good news.
“We expect CPI inflation to fall from 2.7 per cent to 2.4 per cent in September and still think that it could drop to two per cent within six months or so,” said Samuel Tombs of Capital Economics.
Retail sales figures due on Thursday are predicted to increase.
“Retail sales volumes are expected to have edged up just 0.1 per cent month-on-month in September after falling back 0.9 per cent month-on-month in August. This would limit the year-on-year growth in retail sales volumes to 1.8 per cent in August. Even so, retail sales volumes would still have risen by 1.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter if they were flat in September,” said Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight.
The corporate calendar starts today with results from Nanoco Group, Tristel, Essentra, McBride and Software Radio Technology.
Tomorrow’s results will come from Fusion IP, Bellway, DotDigital Group, Utilitywise, Lombard Risk Management, Michael Page International, Telford Homes, Burberry Group, Hargreaves Lansdown and Carpetright.
On Wednesday Imperial Innovations Group, Renewable Energy Generation, Smiths News, E-Therapeutics, Vertu Motors, JZ Capital Partners, Hochschild Mining Plc and STV Group will update the market.
Booker Group, Etalon Group, Omega Diagnostics Group, Rank Group, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Travis Perkins, Britvic, Bunzl, Cairn Energy, British Sky Broadcasting Group, Diageo, Jupiter Fund Management, Man Group and Renishaw will all give figures on Thursday.
Finally Spectris and Provident Financial will report on Friday.