Week ahead in business and economics: January 20-24 Back in the UK, unemployment data are expected to show the jobless rate fell to 7.3pc in the three months to November, taking it even closer to the 7pc level required to unlock an interest rate rise. The Bank of England will also release minutes from its latest interest rate meeting. Policymakers are expected to have voted unanimously to keep interest rates on hold and asset purchases at £375bn. Public borrowing data will also show Chancellor George Osborne remains on track to meet his latest borrowing target of £99bn, according to analysts. Trading update InternetQ Economics CBI financial services survey Full-year results Unilever Interim results PZ Cussons Trading update African Barrick Gold, Cairn Energy, Carphone Warehouse, Hochschild Mining, Intermediate Capital Group, Polymetal International, SABMiller Economics CBI Industrial Trends Meetings Marston's (AGM) WH Smith will be the last major high street retailer to update on Christmas trading this week. The company reported a 4pc drop in like-for-like sales in a November trading update but said it remained on course to grow profits. Similar trends are likely to be in evidence in WH Smith's Christmas trading update. Analysts will also be keen to hear from chief executive Stephen Clarke, who ran his first Christmas for the company after replacing Kate Swann last year. Trading update BHP Billiton, Findel, Land Securities Group, JD Wetherspoon, London Mining, Sage Group, WH Smith Economics UK unemployment data, Bank of England minutes, public borrowing figures Meetings WH Smith (AGM) Chemring, the defence equipment group that makes flares and other munitions, is due to release its full-year results. Consensus expectations are for earnings before interest and taxes of about £71.7m, with the group guiding in late November that it expects to meet expectations. However, perhaps of more interest will be what chief executive Mark Papworth says about his plans for the company. He took the helm in late 2012 in the wake of a failed private equity takeover approach and a number of profit warnings and has undertaken a strategic review. Any comments on the outlook from the key US market will also be welcomed by investors Analysts and investors will be pressing FirstGroup management, led by chief executive Tim O'Toole, for more detailed, and potentially accelerated, turnaround targets as the transport company comes under pressure from US hedge fund Sandell Asset Management to improve performance. FirstGroup will be expected at its capital markets day to spell out in far clearer terms objectives for troubled divisions such as its UK bus and US school bus operations, amid claims that its current goals are "too vague." FirstGroup is the focus of an attack by Sandell, which holds 3.1pc of FirstGroup stock and is pushing for a break-up of the company. Sandell last week published a so-called "white paper" setting out its proposals to spin off and float the US school bus and transit businesses. Greyhound, the US long-distance coach operator, would also be sold under the plans. With bourses trading at near-record highs and a flood of companies coming to market, prospects are good for the London Stock Exchange Group, which reports third-quarter figures. Analysts at HSBC expect this to result in total revenues for the quarter reaching £274m - up 45pc on a year earlier, with sales also boosted by last year's acquisition of a majority stake in clearing house LCH.Clearnet. Xavier Rolet, the LSE's chief executive, can expect to update investors on the integration of Clearnet into the group. Full-year results Chemring Group Trading update AG Barr, easyJet, London Stock Exchange, PayPoint, Pearson, Petropavlovsk, St James's Place Economics CBI distributive trades Meetings FirstGroup (capital markets day), Smith News (AGM) Royal Mail Group disclosed its half-year results in November, when the freshly privatised postal service delivered record results in its first update as a public company. Today's trading update will give investors a chance to evaluate Royal Mail's more recent performance. The threat of industrial action was seen as a risk to Royal Mail when it went public, but since November, the company has successfully reached a deal with its workers" union. Trading update Close Brothers Group, Henry Boot, Royal Mail Group , Workspace Group Economics BBA lending data Meetings Topps Tiles (AGM)