We are well and truly into the holiday season with Christmas completing the next seven days. But there is still serious work to be done.
Washington’s Jan. 6 committee has set Wednesday as the date it plans to submit its report on the 2021 takeover of the US Capitol and vote on whether to initiate any criminal proceedings for those involved.
Only a fraction of the material collected in the 18-month investigation will make it into the final eight-chapter report. The focus is expected to turn to evidence uncovered about the role of former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, along with ways to avoid a repeat attack.
More strike action will disrupt the UK work week in the run up to the Christmas holidays. The nurses are due to go back on strike on Tuesday. Also on that day, on the eve of the first planned ambulance strike, which is expected to involve up to 10,000 workers, the national secretary of the GMB, one of the unions involved in the action, has been called to testify before MPs in Westminster about that dispute, along with NHS and ambulance service executives, to explain what is behind it and why no resolution has been found.
It’s not just the 1970s-reminiscent strike that’s giving Brits a blast from their past. On Sunday, the nation will return to something last heard in the 1950s: a Christmas speech from a king. Charles III will have a lot to live up to when he delivers his first Christmas message on Sunday afternoon given Queen Elizabeth’s dominance of the medium. Perhaps he hopes this king’s speech will be as stunning a hit as his namesake was on the big screen nearly 12 years ago.
Economic data
Economic news will be trickling in over the next few days, following last week’s spate of interest rate and inflation announcements. The Bank of Japan will announce its latest monetary policy move, while the US and UK provide their best final estimates of last quarter’s GDP movements, with recessionary expectations on many people’s minds.
companies
A trickle of results this week. Following the World Cup, where its logo has been affixed to soccer jerseys and boots, Nike hopes to please its investors with the announcement of second-quarter results on Tuesday. The world’s largest sportswear manufacturer has been grappling with balance issues in its progressive marketing campaigns (not sure if its participation in Fifa Qatar 2022 helped with that) after losing its second diversity officer in as many years this summer.
Bunzl is generally considered a boring but decent business, appearing in the financial press once every six months. And this could be your week. The provider of disposable helmets, beard guards and cutlery is expected to confirm a strong financial year-end when it provides a business update on Wednesday on good revenue growth, supported by numerous acquisitions announced in the past 12 months.
Octopus Energy CEO Zoisa North-Bond. Tuesday is the deadline for the UK power provider to deal with the collapse of rival Bulb © Hollie Adams/Bloomberg
Finally, Tuesday is the deadline set by a High Court judge for UK power provider Octopus Energy to take over its collapsed rival, Bulb. Judge Zacaroli confirmed that the deal could be approved through the power transfer scheme. But the controversy is far from over. Rival providers Eon, British Gas and Scottish Power have until this date to file any legal challenges. Last week, Centrica warned that the deal risks breaching EU state aid rules. That could mean the European Commission gets involved.
Read the full schedule for next week here.
