Week ahead 2nd March 2015

In the week ahead we will be building up to Friday’s US February employment report, which will be a key input into decisions made at this month’s FOMC meeting. If we see another positive reading here, there is a good chance that the term “patient” will be removed from the FOMC meeting on the 18/03/15 opening the door for a rate hike. In addition, we have a busy calendar from Europe and the UK with key reading from the manufacturing and service sectors. On Thursday, both the ECB and BoE release their interest rate decision. The focus will be on the ECB press conference after the central bank announced it QE plan last month.

Today

• UK PMI Manufacturing
• EUR PMI Manufacturing
• UK Lending Figures
• US ISM Manufacturing

Tuesday

• German Retail Sales
• UK PMI Construction
• BoE Gov. Carney Speaks
• FOMC Chair Yellen Speaks.

Wednesday

• UK PMI Services
• EUR PMI Manufacturing
• EUR Retail Sales
• US ADP Employment Report

Thursday

• BoE Interest Rate Decision
• ECB Interest Rate Decision and Press Conference
• US Initial Jobless Claims

Friday

• US Non-Farm Payrolls
• US Unemployment Rate
• US Trade Balance