Consumer price inflation jumped to 2.3% in October, up from 1.7% in September, above the Bank of England's target. This uptick is largely due to rising electricity and gas prices. While housing costs remain steep, food prices have steadied, which might just keep the tills ringing during the festive season.

In the corporate arena, Sage Group has unveiled a £400 million share buyback, alongside a robust 51% surge in pretax profit for the year ending September 30. Severn Trent has reported an increase in half-year earnings and is gearing up for a record year of capital investment. Crest Nicholson, however, is bracing for annual profits at the lower end of its forecast, thanks to a higher mix of affordable homes delivered.

In other news, a Jefferies report suggests a boom in healthcare IPOs and mergers come 2025. The sector has witnessed notable acquisitions, like Johnson & Johnson's buyout of Shockwave Medical. Optimism is high, with 64% of respondents predicting a surge in IPOs by 2025. The market for obesity treatments, such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, is expected to expand significantly.

On the economic front, keep an eye on eurozone construction output and speeches from European Central Bank officials. In the UK, Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden is set to take the stage.

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