Monday, September 12: The People’s Bank of China releases estimates on outstanding loan growth in August. July’s reading of 12.2 percent year-on-year, below consenus forecasts of 13.8 percent and the weakest loan growth since February 2002. The weaker-than-expected reading comes despite policymakers’ recent measures intended to spur liquidity.
Tuesday, September 13: Market watchers will be keeping an eye on Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW) sentiment data for signals that the pending departure of the U.K. from the European Union have impacted growth prospects. To date, mixed signals have resulted in only measured rhetoric from policymakers. Separately, inflation data scheduled for release by the U.K. Office for National Statistics may provide some insight into the likelihood of action on the part of the Bank of England in the coming months.
Wednesday, September 14: Weekly stockpile figures from the Energy Information Administration will be parsed for any signal that North American producers are pausing ahead of the planned informal OPEC meeting later this month. According to data released by the group on Friday, total OPEC production fell to a multimonth low in August despite increased output in Iran.
Thursday, September 15: On the same day that many market watchers across the world will be watching the Bank of England rate announcement, banks and exchanges will be closed in China as well as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam, for the observation of the mid-autumn festival. The festival celebrates the 15th day of the 8th month of the traditional Chinese calendar, or the last full moon prior to the autumnal equinox. Round pastries called mooncakes featuring a filling made of lotus seed paste are traditionally consumed during the celebrations. Although many urban workers return to rural family homes to enjoy the celebration, the holiday doesn’t inspire the same level of travel congestion as does the Lunar New Year.
Friday, September 16: In an autumn box office season already politically charged by a controversial national election, the debut of Snowden, based on the computer engineer who leaked classified data from the U.S. National Security Agency to U.K. daily The Guardian, is near-certain to garner some newspaper column inches. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays the eponymous protagonist, has publicly stated his belief that Snowden, now employed and protected by the Russian government, acted out of patriotic — yet complex — intentions.
