All eyes will be on the US central bank in the middle of the week as it signals the start of normalising the extraordinary emergency measures put in place in the wake of the pandemic.
Barclays Research expects the Federal Reserve will signal its intention to hike short-term interest rates by 25 basis points when its policymakers next meet in March.
The Fed’s quantitative easing meanwhile was seen winding down by mid-March although there was “some risk” that the monetary authority would stop QE in February instead.
However, running-off its balance sheet was not expected to occur until the Fed’s July meeting.
No major economic releases were scheduled in the UK.
On the corporate side of things, Wizz Air Holdings is among those that are due to update investors.
Analysts at UBS have penciled-in third quarter sales of €463m (consensus: €469m), for a loss before interest and taxes of -€172m (consensus: -€191m).
In a research note sent to clients, UBS analyst, Jarrod Castle, said that investors’ focus will be on the carrier’s outlook for trading in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year and forward bookings over Easter and Summer 2022.
Wednesday 26 January
INTERIMS
Hargreaves Services, Scancell Holdings
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Q3
Wizz Air Holdings
AGMS
AJ Bell, JPMorgan Elect Managed Growth Shares, Renew Holdings
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brewin Dolphin Holdings, DP Eurasia N.V. (DI) , Pets at Home Group , Sage Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Carr’s Group
