Last checked at 
(Sharecast News) - Financial markets' focus in the middle of the week will shift to the UK, where consumer lending figures for August are due out.
At 0930 BST, the Bank of England is expected to report that UK consumer credit rose by £0.3bn during that month, while the number of monthly mortgage approvals remained elevated, at 73,500.
Across the Channel meanwhile, the European Commission will publish the results of its consumer and industrial confidence surveys for the euro area in September.
Stateside, the only relevant economic indicator due out is NAHB's Pending Home Sales Index for August.
In Asia meanwhile, policy-makers at Thailand's central bank are due to meet to decide on interest rates.
On the corporate side of things and for Next's half-year results, UBS analyst Olivia Townsend was expecting the company to surprise to the upside with its comments on current trading.
The online fashion retailer had already pre-announced better than expected full-price sales running up to 17 July, announced a special dividend and told shareholders that any additional excess cash generated during the back half of the year would be funnelled their way.
Hence, investors would also be looking to see if Next reiterated its full-year guidance, the analyst added.
Next's fiscal second quarter ran until 31 July but the company brought forward its trading update due to the strength of its performance.
In terms of potential catalysts for the stock price, Townsend noted investors' concerns regarding the availability - or not - of inventory going into 2022, although she conceded that was a sector-wide preoccupation.
She also estimated that market expectations for the company's full-year profit before tax were about 5% ahead of company guidance for £750m.
Wednesday 29 September
INTERIMS
1Spatial, CMO Group, Futura Medical, Glantus Holdings, Mobile Tornado Group, MyHealthchecked, NetScientific , Next, Seen, Sumo Group , Yu Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
M&G
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Mitsubhi Electric Corp.
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Yamana Gold Inc. NPV (CDI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)
Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
Services Sentiment (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
Avingtrans, Origin Enterprises (CDI), Quiz
AGMS
AO World, Frasers Group , FRP Advisory Group , Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), Great Eastern Energy Corp Ltd. GDR, Novacyt S.A. (CDI), Scholium Group, The Fulham Shore
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
MyHealthchecked
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)
Consumer Credit (09:30)
M4 Money Supply (09:30)
Mortgage Approvals (09:30)
Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Base Resources Ltd , Miton UK Microcap Trust
27 Dec 2023 12:06
LONDON MARKET MIDDAY: Stocks hold onto gains amid US rate cut hopes
(Alliance News) - London's FTSE 100 index was outperforming other European stock-price measures at midday on Wednesday, boosted by gains for miners and industrials.
Read more