Next Week At A Glance

This story features FORTESCUE LIMITED, and other companies. For more info SHARE ANALYSIS: FMG

For a more comprehensive preview of next week's events, please refer to "The Monday Report", published each Monday morning. For all economic data release dates, ex-div dates and times and other relevant information, please refer to the FNArena Calendar.

By Greg Peel

With European QE now in the bag, attention can swing back to the primary focus of all of 2014 – the US economy. The December quarter earnings season has just begun in the US and is off to a strong start, while next week brings a raft of economic data releases which should help to reignite the momentarily stalled Fed rate rise debate.

US data releases next week include durable goods, consumer confidence, house prices, new and pending home sales, the Richmond Fed index and Chicago PMI. The Fed will release its first monetary policy statement of the year on Wednesday, which should quickly snap markets out of their European daze, and on Friday the first estimate of US December quarter GDP is due.

Germany’s influential IFO business survey result for January is due out on Monday, but one assumes this month’s survey was conducted pre-QE. At the end of the week the eurozone will see flash inflation estimates.

The UK will release its first estimate of December quarter GDP on Tuesday. Japan will release a round of monthly data next week, including trade balance, retail sales, industrial production, unemployment and inflation.

Both Australia and New Zealand will celebrate Australia Day on Monday…What? Auckland Anniversary Day? Okay, whatever. Both countries’ markets will be closed.

NAB will release its local December business confidence survey on Tuesday and on Wednesday, forex and money markets will hold their breath for the release of the December quarter CPI numbers. A low reading is anticipated, putting more pressure on the RBA the following week. Friday sees monthly private sector credit numbers.

On the local stock front, mid to late next week will see a rush of the last of the resource sector quarterly production reports ahead of the results season beginning next month. Fortescue Metals ((FMG)), Newcrest Mining ((NCM)) and Oil Search ((OSH)) are among the highlights.
 

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