Week ahead: All eyes on the US Fed
All eyes were expected to be on the US central bank's next policy meeting and what indications it might give regarding the outlook for rates in 2017 and further out.
As of 1530 GMT, Fed funds futures were pricing in a 100% probability of a 25 basis point increase in the Federal Reserve's main interest rate at the conclusion of its two-day meeting on 14 December.
Furthermore, following US president elect Donald Trump's surprise victory in the past elections had pushed the odds of another 25 basis point interest rate hike by November 2017 to 59.6%, according to the CME's Fed Watch tool, on expectations for fiscal easing by the new administration in Washington DC.
Nonetheless, some observers were wary of anticipating too much tightening given the lingering uncertainties over the policy priorities of the new US president.
In the UK, investors would focus on the latest monthky inflation and unemployment referencing the month of November which were due out on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
They would be followed by monthly retail sales figures from ONS, on Thursday.
A batch of Eurozone manufacturing and services sector purchasing managers' indices for the month of December which were set for release on Friday also held the potential to ruffle a few feathers.
Monday December 12
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
DCC, Mediclinic International
FINALS
Hardide
AGMS
Concha
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
YouGov
Tuesday December 13
INTERIMS
Begbies Traynor Group, Byotrol, Carpetright
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Spire Healthcare Group
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)
Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)
ZEW Survey (EU) (10:00)
ZEW Survey (GER) (10:00)
FINALS
Ediston Property Investment Company, Hollywood Bowl Group, Pressure Technologies, Zytronic
EGMS
JSC KazMunaiGaz Exploration Production GDR (Reg S)
AGMS
Bellway, Fidelity Special Values, International Biotech Trust, Tristel
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (09:30)
Producer Price Index (09:30)
Retail Price Index (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
DX (Group)
Wednesday December 14
INTERIMS
Dixons Carphone , Freeagent Holdings, Micro Focus International, Sysgroup
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Brunner Inv Trust, M Winkworth
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Business Inventories (US) (15:00)
Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)
Industrial Production (US) (14:15)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)
Retail Sales (US) (13:30)
Q2
Freeagent Holdings
FINALS
IDOX
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Lancashire Holdings Limited
EGMS
Amedeo Air Four Plus Limited, Powerflute Oyj (DI)
AGMS
BowLeven, CQS New City High Yield Fund Limited, Mobile Streams, Northamber, Orchard Funding Group , Schroder Oriental Income Fund Ltd.
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Claimant Count Rate (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
River and Mercantile Group , Volution Group (WI)
Thursday December 15
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
PayPoint, Vedanta Resources
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BCA Marketplace, Bonmarche Holdings, British Smaller Companies VCT, Brown (N.) Group, Caffyns, Charles Stanley Group, Circle Property , Cropper (James), Greene King, Halfords Group, JPMorgan Global Growth & Income, Lazard World Trust Fund, Mitie Group, Norcros, Northgate, Plastics Capital, Severfield, Sirius Real Estate Ltd., Speedy Hire, United Utilities Group, Ventus VCT D Shs, Ventus 2 VCT, Ventus 2 VCT 'C' Shares, Ventus 2 VCT D Shs, Ventus VCT, Ventus VCT 'C' Shares, Vianet Group
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Canadian General Investments Ltd.
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Assura , Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd, Real Estate Credit Investments Ltd Pref Shs , XP Power Ltd. (DI)
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Current Account (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
PayPoint
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
British Smaller Companies VCT, Polymetal International
EGMS
Etalon Group Ltd GDR (Reg S), Plus500 Ltd (DI), Riverstone Energy Limited
AGMS
Alternative Liquidity Fund Limited, Falanx Group Ltd, GCM Resources, Gunsynd , Haydale Graphene Industries, InnovaDerma, Leaf Clean Energy Co (DI), Nanoco Group, Northern Venture Trust, Sareum Holdings, Smart (J) & Co., Standard Life Equity Income Trust, Tiso Blackstar Group SE (DI)
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Centrica, PZ Cussons
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)
Retail Sales (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aeci 5 1/2% Prf, MJ Gleeson
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
A&J Mucklow Group, Associated British Foods, Brunner Investment 5% Prf, Carr's Group, Gooch & Housego, Hargreave Hale AIM VCT 1, JPMorgan Chinese Inv Trust, Marston's, Numis Corporation, OMG, Orchard Funding Group , Zoopla Property Group
Friday December 16
INTERIMS
Polar Capital Technology Trust
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Amati VCT , Babcock International Group, Braemar Shipping Services, C&C Group, Downing Three VCT F Shs, Downing Three VCT H Shs, Downing Two VCT F Shs , Downing Two VCT G Shs, Ecofin Global Utilities and Infrastructure Trust , Elderstreet VCT, ProVen Growth & Income VCT, ProVen VCT, Sophos Group , TalkTalk Telecom Group , Telecom Plus, ULS Technology , Walker Crips Group, Whitbread
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Alpha Real Trust Ltd., BP, Carnival, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B'
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)
Building Permits (US) (13:30)
Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
Housing Starts (US) (13:30)
Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Softcat
AGMS
Edinburgh Dragon Trust, Physiomics, Upland Resources Limited (DI)
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Berendsen
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Industrial Trends Surveys (11:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
AB Dynamics, Edinburgh Dragon Trust, Finsbury Food Group, Gattaca, Origin Enterprises, Softcat, Tristel, World Careers Network