Thursday preview: BoE policy announcement in focus

(Sharecast News) - All eyes will be on the Bank of England's policy announcement on Thursday.
ING economist James Smith expects a unanimous vote to keep rates unchanged at 0.1% and an 8-1 vote to keep the quantitative easing programme on track to finish in December.

"Will the Bank of England hike interest rates in February 2022? That's more or less when markets are currently expecting the first 15 basis points move, with a further 25bp rate hike priced for the second half of next year, too. But if investors are looking for the BoE to endorse this outlook when its releases its latest policy decision this Thursday, they are likely to be disappointed," he said.

"Indeed, we think markets are jumping the gun, and instead we expect the first rate rise to come in the second half of 2022, probably in November.

"That's mainly because the recent rise in inflation is not necessarily as hawkish as it might seem. True, headline CPI is expected to rise to 4% by the end of this year, higher than many (including us) had expected only a few months ago. The recent upside surprise in August's inflation numbers were a key factor in bringing market rate hike expectations forward."

On the corporate front, full-year results are due form veterinary services company CVS and DFS Furniture, while Harbour Energy will release its first-half numbers.

Thursday 23 September

INTERIMS

Arecor Therapeutics , Distribution Finance Capital Holdings, Ebiquity, Eve Sleep PLC, Everyman Media Group , Gemfields Group Limited, Playtech, Safestyle UK , The City Pub Group , Xeros Technology Group , XLMedia

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Capital & Counties Properties , Rio Tinto, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting)

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Anexo Group , Barclays Bank 9% Perm Int Brg Cap Bds 1, Computacenter, Crest Nicholson Holdings, Driver Group, Elecosoft Public Limited Company, Epwin Group, Essentra, Fidelity European Trust, Forterra, Gamma Communications, Harworth Group, Henry Boot, Kenmare Resources (CDI), Keystone Law Group , Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Property Franchise Group, Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings (DI), Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI), Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), TT Electronics, Vitec Group, Wickes Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Standard Life Private Equity Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS

DFS Furniture, Fonix Mobile , Hansard Global, Supermarket Income Reit

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Rio Tinto

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Hargreaves Lansdown

AGMS

Adept Technology Group, Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, Begbies Traynor Group, Boussard & Gavaudan Holding Ltd. EUR Shares, Boussard & Gavaudan Holding Ltd. GBP Shares, Bradda Head Holdings Limited NPV (DI), Colefax Group, daVictus, Empyrean Energy, Enteq Upstream, Finncap Group , Fuller Smith & Turner, Kainos Group , President Energy, The Panoply Holdings, Trakm8 Holdings, Versarien , Vertu Capital Limited (DI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Investec

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Brickability Group , SSE, XPS Pensions Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alumasc Group, Brooks Macdonald Group, Diverse Income Trust (The), Eckoh, ECO Animal Health Group, Hargreaves Lansdown, IG Group Holdings, Mercia Asset Management, Norish Units (CDI), Redrow, The Panoply Holdings