THE WEEK AHEAD
COMPANY NEWS
● On Wednesday, Diageo will hold its AGM where it will make its interim management statement. If the £1.6bn that the drinks company spent on emerging market acquisitions has paid off, then shareholders will be celebrating with doubles all round.
● In Petrofac’s interim management statement on Thursday, it will be hoping to build on August’s robust results.
ECONOMICS
● The powers that be have decreed this to be both National Ethical Investment Week and National Financial Planning Week.
● Tomorrow, the ONS will release the consumer price index figures for September. Though the number is expected to exceed the 4.5 per cent August figure, it will be interesting to see whether it will overshoot forecasts.
● On Wednesday, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee will release its minutes for October. Earlier in the month it embarked on a second round of quantitative easing, but the minutes will show whether the decision to do so was taken unanimously.
POLITICAL NEWS
● Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic will begin talks today with political parties with a view to forming an interim cabinet following the fall of the government.
● As the campaign for the nomination for the Republican ticket for the 2012 US Presidential election hots up, this week the Mitt Romney campaign will be heading to Iowa to drum up support.
● This week Gus O’Donnell will present evidence to Prime Minister David Cameron following the scandal that forced the resignation of Liam Fox.