The Readout: Events, Dear BOE

Some things are predictable. England’s failure to win a major international football tournament, for example, or Goldman Sachs making blockbuster profits.

Economic data points tend to be predictable to a certain extent. UK inflation last month, for example, is likely to be confirmed on Wednesday at somewhere between 1.8% and 2.1%. It will follow tomorrow’s updated number from Kantar on prices specifically in supermarkets, which will probably show grocery inflation dipping below 2%.

The Bank of England’s nine interest rate-setters will be poring through the details ahead of their Aug. 1 decision on whether to cut for the first time since the start of the pandemic. On Thursday, they get figures on wage growth, employment numbers and the official house price reading from the Land Registry. Friday will bring consumer confidence, retail sales and government debt numbers.