Investing.com - In the week ahead, market players will be focusing on the outcome of Thursday’s European Central Bank meeting to see if policymakers will step up monetary stimulus to boost inflation and prop up the economy in wake of the Brexit vote earlier in the summer.
Elsewhere, China is to release what will be closely watched trade and inflation data amid ongoing concerns over the health of the world's second biggest economy.
In the U.S., a report on service sector growth will be the highlight of the holiday-shortened week. U.S. markets will remain closed on Monday for Labor Day.
Meanwhile, in the U.K., traders will be awaiting data on activity in the services sector for further indications on the continued effect that the Brexit decision is having on the economy.
Outside the G7, market participants will be awaiting a monetary policy announcement from the Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of the five biggest events on the economic calendar that are most likely to affect the markets.
1. European Central Bank Policy Meeting
The European Central Bank's interest rate decision is due at 11:45GMT (7:45AM ET) on Thursday, with most of the focus likely to be on President Mario Draghi's press conference 45 minutes after the announcement.
The consensus is that the ECB will leave interest rates on hold for the time being, while Draghi is forecast to strike a dovish tone and perhaps hint at further stimulus to offset the hit to the economy from Britain's decision to leave the European Union.
A recent Reuters poll of economists showed that slow growth and virtually non-existent inflation will force the ECB to extend and expand the scope of its asset purchase program in the coming months.
2. Chinese Trade Report for August
China is to release August trade figures at around 02:00GMT on Thursday (10:00PM ET Wednesday). The report is expected to show that the country’s trade surplus widened to $58.3 billion last month from $52.3 billion in July.
Exports are forecast to have dropped 3.5% in August from a year earlier, following a decline of 4.4% a month ago, while imports are expected to slump 1.2%, after plunging 12.5% in July.
Additionally, on Friday, the Asian nation will publish data on August consumer and producer price inflation. The reports are expected to show that consumer prices rose 1.7% last month, while producer prices are forecast to fall by 1.0%.
3. U.S. ISM Services PMI
The U.S. Institute of Supply Management is to release data on August service sector activity at 10:00AM ET (14:00GMT) on Tuesday. The gauge is expected to inch down 0.5 points to 55.0. Anything above 50.0 signals expansion.
The data takes on extra importance after the ISM manufacturing survey published last week showed a shocking contraction in activity.
Besides the services PMI, the coming holiday-shortened week could be a relatively quiet one with Wednesday's Fed Beige Book release and JOLTS jobs turnover data also in focus.
4. U.K. August Services PMI
The U.K. will release a reading on August service sector activity at 08:30GMT (4:30AM ET) on Monday. The services PMI is forecast to improve to 50.0 from 47.4 a month earlier.
Data released last week data showed that the manufacturing and construction PMI's both beat expectations, suggesting that the British economy remained resilient in wake of the U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union.
The U.K. will also produce a report on July manufacturing production at 08:30GMT (4:30AM ET) Wednesday.
5. Reserve Bank of Australia Rate Decision
The RBA's latest interest rate decision is due on Tuesday at 4:30GMT (12:30AM ET). Most economists expect no policy change, after the central bank surprised with a 25 basis point rate cut at its previous meeting to a historic low of 1.50% in an effort to boost sluggish inflation and spur economic activity.
Stay up-to-date on all of this week's economic events by visiting: http://www.investing.com/economic-calendar/