Economic calendar: BoE decision and US earnings

• European markets seen opening more or less flat

• Bank of England to announce rate decision

• Ford Motor, Gilead Sciences and Merck among earnings reporters

European stock markets are seen opening more or less flat following a lacklustre trading during the Asian session. Bank of England decision is the main macro event today. No change to the level of interest rates is expected but the Bank may provide information on its review of negative interest rates. Apart from that, investors will be served regular US jobless claims data as well as earnings from companies like Ford Motor, Gilead Sciences or Merck & Co.

10:00 am GMT - Euro area, retail sales for December. Expected: 1.6% MoM. Previous: -6.1% MoM

12:00 pm GMT - Bank of England decision.

1:30 pm GMT - US, jobless claims. Expected: 830k. Previous: 847k

3:00 pm GMT - US, factory orders for December. Expected: 0.7% MoM. Previous: 1% MoM

3:00 pm GMT - US, durable goods orders for December (final).

• Headline. First release: 0.2% MoM

• Ex-transportation. First release: 0.7% MoM

Central bankers' speeches

• 1:30 pm GMT - ECB de Cos

• 6:00 pm GMT - Fed Kaplan

• 7:00 pm GMT - Fed Daly

• 10:30 pm GMT - RBA Governor Lowe

US earnings releases

• Activision Blizzard (ATVI.US) - after market close

• Amerisourcebergen (ABC.US) - before market open

• Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.US) - before market open

• Ford Motor (F.US) - after market close

• Gilead Sciences (GILD.US) - after market close

• Merck & Co (MRK.US) - before market open

• Philip Morris (PM.US) - before market open

• Pinterest (PINS.US) - after market close