Next week brings public borrowing figures, alongside consumer confidence and business optimism data as the UK draws ever-closer to the Autumn Budget.
As speculation mounts over wide-ranging tax hikes on government warnings of a £22 billion “black hole” in public finances, eyes will be on how UK borrowing has developed, as well as how businesses and consumers alike are faring, prior to the October 30 Budget.
Last time out, figures showed net public borrowing had increased more than expected to £13.7 billion in August, against £9.5 billion a year earlier.
According to Trading Economics, expectations are for the figure, which is due on Tuesday, to have risen once again to £14.7 billion in September.
This would come as anticipations grow around further borrowing by chancellor Rachel Reeves to fuel an investment spree in the Budget, coupled even with a tweak to fiscal debt rules.
Business optimism data from the CBI and GFK consumer confidence figures are then due later in the week, on Thursday and Friday respectively, with further successive drops in both expected as attention increasingly turns to the Budget.
A string of purchasing managers index data is also due from S&P Global over the course of next week, covering both sides of the Atlantic, while durable goods order figures and further insight into consumer confidence in the US will feature as well.