(Sharecast News) - Investors' focus in the middle of the week would be on a raft of purchasing managers' surveys covering activity in manufacturing and services on either side of the Channel as well as in the States.

At 0830 BST, consultancy S&P Global was expected to report that activity in both UK factory and services picked up in early July.

In the US on the other hand, the PMIs, which were set for release at 1345 BST, were expected to reveal a slight slowdown in services, although the factory PMI was expected to tick higher.

Also on the economic calendar for Wednesday, at 1345 BST rate-setters at Bank of Canada were expected to announce a 25 basis point rate cut to 4.5%.

At 0600 BST, GfK would publish the results of its consumer confidence survey for Germany in August.

Wednesday 24 July

INTERIMS

Breedon Group , Breedon Group , Primary Health Properties, RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI), Unite Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Q2

Banco Santander S.A., PensionBee Group

FINALS

Totally, Van Elle Holdings

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Castings

EGMS

SDIC Power Holdings Co.,Ltd GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Ajax Resources, Atome, Atome, Audioboom Group, BiVictriX Therapeutics, Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited NPV, Molten Ventures, Motorpoint Group, Norcros, Pennon Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Baillie Gifford China Growth Trust , Serica Energy, Worldwide Healthcare Trust