Monday 6 January
- UK services purchasing managers’ indices (PMIs)
Hopefully the UK services sector can deliver a more positive outlook than its manufacturing sector as we head into 2020. UK manufacturing PMIs disappointed on Thursday with the decisive Conservatives win in the general election not delivering the uptick many expected. The PMI dipped to a four-month low of 47.5. Output contracted at the fastest rate for 89 months.
Tuesday 7 January
- Morrisons leads Christmas trading updates
Morrisons is the first of a trio of grocers to update on Christmas trading figures this week. Sainsbury will report on Wednesday with Tesco rounding out the updates on Thursday.
Each company faced different fortunes in 2019, notes AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould, with Tesco’s shares up by 34%, while Morrison’s fell 6% and Sainsbury’s slipped by 12%.
All three continued to feel heat from the discounters, Aldi and Lidl, Mould said. Sainsbury also suffered further setbacks from the regulator blocking its planned merger with Asda and Argos head John Rogers defecting to WPP, he added.
Wednesday 8 January
- Trading statements from Greggs and Topps Tiles
- Japanese wage growth figures
- German factory orders data
- US oil inventories data
Thursday 9 January
- Trading statements from International Consolidated Airlines, Card Factory, Dunelm and recruitment giant Robert Walters
- In Japan, a trading update from Uniqlo-owner Fast Retailing
- In Asia, a trading update from silicon chip foundry UMC
- In Europe, trading updates from Takeaway.com and Air France-KLM
Friday 10 January
- US jobs data
Last month’s figures showed the addition of 266,000 jobs while wages rose 3.1% year-on-year to $28.29 an hour. The festive period and New Year break mean the figures are coming out a week later than normal.
