Business

Central banks take the stage; Kroger earnings; US-China trade talks

1. Central banks take the stage: The European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the Turkish Central Bank will make policy decisions on Thursday.

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By
Ivana Kottasová
(CNN MONEY) — 1. Central banks take the stage: The European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the Turkish Central Bank will make policy decisions on Thursday.

The ECB and Bank of England are expected to hold interest rates steady, but there could be more drama in Turkey.

The Turkish lira has lost 40% against the dollar this year and inflation has spiked to nearly 18%. But the central bank has failed to react, raising concerns that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who opposes higher rates, is influencing monetary policy.

The lira dropped ahead of the meeting, which investors view as a major test of the central bank's independence.

2. Kroger earnings: America's largest grocery chain will report its quarterly earnings before the bell.

Kroger has stepped up its efforts to push back against online competition. It has launched forays into China, a home delivery service and visions of a plastic-bag-free future last month alone.

Earlier this year, it signed an exclusive deal with UK online supermarket Ocado to use its technology in the United States.

Traditional retailers are struggling to keep up with the changing habits of their shoppers. British department store John Lewis provided another example on Thursday, reporting a 99% drop in profits in the first half of the year.

3. China trade talks: The Trump administration has offered China a new chance to talk trade as US officials prepare to impose steep tariffs on a huge range of Chinese goods. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said it welcomed the invitation.

President Donald Trump said last week that new tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods could go into effect "very soon" and warned that another, even bigger wave of measures is "ready to go on short notice if I want."

The two economic superpowers have already imposed tariffs of 25% on more than $50 billion of each other's exports.

4. No deal Brexit planning: The UK government is holding a cabinet meeting to plan for life after Brexit and consider the implications of dropping out of the European Union without a deal.

It will then release another batch of notices advising businesses on how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, an outcome that businesses have warned against.

The notices will include information on cell phone charges while traveling abroad and environmental standards.

The pound was flat against the dollar.

5. Global market overview: US stock futures were edging higher.

European markets opened mixed. Stocks in Asia ended with gains.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed 0.1% higher on Wednesday, while the S&P 500 was flat. The Nasdaq shed 0.2%.

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6. Earnings and economics: Adobe Systems will release earnings after the closing bell.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish its August CPI report at 8:30 a.m. ET.

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7. Coming this week:Thursday — Kroger reports earnings, US consumer inflation report, European and UK central banks report interest rate decisionsFriday — US retail sales and consumer sentiment reports

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