Monday is a public holiday in Australia and the ASX is closed, as is FNArena.
Once we get past tonight’s US jobs numbers, which will once again be critical to Fed speculation, next week China will be very much in the frame.
Trade data are due on Monday and inflation on Tuesday, and Friday brings industrial production, retail sales and fixed asset investment numbers.
The US will also see inflation data along with retail sales.
In Australia, the monthly jobs numbers have now become as critical to RBA policy as US numbers are for the Fed. If Thursday brings a tick up in the unemployment rate then economists will be happy with their one more, two more and three more rate cut forecasts.
A tick down and the stock market probably won’t like it.
We’ll also see the NAB business and Westpac consumer confidence surveys next week.
On Friday S&P/ASX will announce index promotions and relegations which will become effective the following Friday.
Investor days will be held next week by Charter Hall ((CHC)), Challenger ((CGF)) and UR Westfield ((URW)) while Wesfarmers ((WES)) will host a strategy day.
