What's in store...

The Bank of England comes back into the spotlight on Thursday with all attention focussed on its next step on the quantitative easing front.

While economists are generally in agreement that interest rates will remain at 0.5%, speculation abounds that the Bank is poised to inject yet more cash into the struggling economy.
 
Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, says: "There could well be fireworks amid significant divisions within the MPC over whether or not to further extend the Bank of England's quantitative easing (QE) programme.
 
"Even allowing for widespread scepticism that the economy really did contract by 0.4% quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter, we suspect that the majority of MPC members will decide that a further £25 billion extension of the QE programme to £200 billion is warranted, to give the recovery a further helping hand. Still weak bank lending reinforces the case for more QE.
 
"Indeed, it is not inconceivable that the MPC could decide next Thursday that a further £50 billion of QE is justified."
 
However, David Page of Investec counters: "With house prices and other asset prices also rising much more quickly than expected, we think the MPC is likely to be wary of adding to QE. Sterling is likely to prove highly sensitive to Thursday's decision."
 
On the results front, both Man Group (EMG) and Cable & Wireless (CW-) take the floor. Investors will be eager to see much-needed signs of improvement in both, after Man Group's share price tumbled last week on poor net asset value on its funds, while Cable & Wireless' share value took a hit after it cut profit expectations.
 
However, Man Group has been keen to reassure the market in the form of more confident updates on the flow of funds. The results are expected to highlight this boost in confidence, but the hedge fund group is likely to remain cautious in its outlook. Any signs of improvement for telecoms giant Cable & Wireless will come from its Caribbean operations and comments on a possible demerger.

Thursday 5 November

Results
 
(Interims) BTG, Man Group, Shanks Group, Cable & Wireless
(Quarterly) Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, Lancashire Holdings, Liberty International, Millenium & Copthorne Hotels, Old Mutual, Unilever
 
Trading statement
 
Unilever
 
AGMs
 
Kofax, Swallowfield
 
Dividend payment date
 
(Final) Framlington Innovative Growth Trust
(Interim) Bammer, Camellia, Fish (James) & Sons