Wednesday preview: UK CPI, Fed minutes in focus

(Sharecast News) - Investors' focus in the middle of the week will shift to the inflation picture in the UK. Consensus is for the annual rate of increase in consumer prices to pick up from the 2.5% clip observed in December to 2.8% in January.

Against that backdrop, at 1900 BST the US Federal Reserve will release the minutes of its January monetary policy meeting.

Earlier, at 1330 BST, the Department of Commerce will publish housing starts and permits figures referencing the month of January.

Overnight, rate-setters at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand are expected to announce a 50 basis point reduction in official short-term interest rates to 3.75%.

Wednesday 19 February

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Building Permits (US) (13:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

FOMC Interest Rate Minutes (US) (19:00)

Housing Starts (US) (13:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS

BAE Systems, Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Glencore , HSBC Holdings, Rio Tinto

AGMS

JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (07:00)

Producer Price Index (07:00)

Retail Price Index (07:00)