Week Ahead 2–6 November 2026: BoE and RBA Rate Decisions, Non-Farm Payrolls, US Midterms and Apple Earnings

This is one of the busiest weeks of the quarter. Four central banks set interest rates, including the Bank of England on Thursday. The US gets its ISM manufacturing and services PMIs and the October jobs report on Friday. The US midterm elections land on Tuesday, with results running into Wednesday. And earnings season keeps going with Apple, Palantir, AMD, Qualcomm and Arm.

Here's everything on the economic calendar for 2–6 November 2026, what's expected, and why each event can move markets. All times are Irish time (GMT).

Central bank rate decisions this week

Day	Time	Event	Forecast	Current
Tue 3	03:30	RBA interest rate decision (AUD)	4.85%	4.60%
Wed 4	07:30	Riksbank rate decision (SEK)	2.00%	1.75%
Thu 5	09:00	Norges Bank rate decision (NOK)	4.50%	4.50%
Thu 5	12:00	Bank of England rate decision (GBP)	4.00%	3.75%

Reserve Bank of Australia (Tuesday). Markets expect the RBA to raise rates by a quarter point to 4.85%. The statement and press conference afterwards matter as much as the decision. If the bank signals more hikes, the Australian dollar usually firms; a "one and done" tone can see it give back gains.

Bank of England (Thursday). The forecast is a hike from 3.75% to 4.00%, alongside the quarterly Monetary Policy Report. Watch the vote split closely: a close vote suggests the committee is divided and future moves are uncertain, while a large majority points to a clearer path. GBP/USD, EUR/GBP and gilt yields tend to react within seconds.

Riksbank and Norges Bank. Sweden is expected to raise rates to 2.00%, while Norway is expected to hold at 4.50%. These mostly move SEK and NOK crosses, but they add to the picture of how many central banks are still tightening.

US data: ISM PMIs, jobs report and the midterms

Day	Time	Event	Forecast	Previous
Mon 2	15:00	ISM Manufacturing PMI (Oct)	54.7	54.5
Tue 3	All day	US midterm elections
Tue 3	15:00	JOLTS job openings (Sep)	7.0M	7.08M
Wed 4	13:15	ADP employment (Oct)		90K
Wed 4	15:00	ISM Services PMI (Oct)	54.7	54.9
Fri 6	13:30	Non-farm payrolls (Oct)	55K	29K
Fri 6	13:30	Unemployment rate (Oct)	4.2%	4.2%
Fri 6	15:00	UoM consumer sentiment (Nov, prelim.)		48.0

ISM PMIs. Readings above 50 mean the sector is expanding. Both surveys are expected in the mid-50s, so the details matter more than the headline: the prices paid component feeds straight into inflation expectations, and employment gives an early read on Friday's jobs report.

US midterm elections (Tuesday). Results come in overnight and through Wednesday. Elections can move the dollar, Treasury yields and sectors exposed to policy, such as healthcare, energy and defence. Expect wider spreads and jumpier price action during the Asian session on Wednesday as results arrive.

Non-farm payrolls (Friday). The headline is expected at 55K after a weak 29K last month, with unemployment at 4.2%. A big miss would strengthen the case for lower US rates and usually weighs on the dollar; a strong number does the opposite. Check average hourly earnings and the revisions to previous months too, as they often drive the move as much as the headline. Spreads widen around 13:30, so many traders size down or wait for the first candle to close. Our position size calculator helps you keep the same risk when your stop has to be wider than usual.

Around the world: euro area inflation and Canadian jobs

Day	Time	Event	Previous
Wed 4	10:00	Euro area CPI y/y (Oct, flash)	3.8%
Wed 4	10:00	Euro area core CPI y/y (Oct, flash)	2.5%
Fri 6	13:30	Canada employment change (Oct)	−68.3K
Fri 6	13:30	Canada unemployment rate (Oct)	6.5%

Euro area flash CPI is the first read on October inflation and the main input for the ECB's next decision. A gap between headline (3.8%) and core (2.5%) inflation shows how much of the pressure is coming from energy and food rather than the wider economy.

Canada's jobs report comes out at the same minute as US payrolls, so USD/CAD can see two shocks at once. After last month's loss of 68,300 jobs, another weak print would add pressure on the Bank of Canada.

Earnings this week: Apple, Palantir, AMD and more

Day	Before the open	After the close
Mon 2	Marriott	Apple, Palantir, Vertex
Tue 3	Pfizer, Shopify	AMD, Amgen, Arista, Booking
Wed 4	McDonald's, Uber, Novo Nordisk, CVS	Qualcomm, Arm, AppLovin, DoorDash
Thu 5	Sony, ConocoPhillips	Airbnb, Cloudflare

Apple and Palantir (Monday) set the tone for big tech. Apple's guidance on iPhone demand and services growth matters more than the quarter itself, while Palantir's government and commercial AI revenue is a read on AI spending.

AMD (Tuesday), then Qualcomm and Arm (Wednesday) make this a big week for chips. Data-centre and AI accelerator guidance can move the whole semiconductor sector, including stocks that aren't reporting.

Consumer names like McDonald's, Uber, DoorDash and Airbnb show how US spending is holding up, which ties back to Friday's jobs data.

How to trade a week like this

• Know the times. The biggest moves cluster around 12:00 Thursday (BoE) and 13:30 Friday (US and Canadian jobs). Put them in your plan before the week starts.
• Size for volatility, not hope. Wider stops around news need smaller positions to keep the same risk. Use the position size calculator and check the pip value on the pairs you trade.
• Only take trades worth it. Check the risk/reward before entering. If the target barely beats the stop, skip it.
• Journal the reaction. Note what happened on each release and how you traded it. Over time, your journal shows which events you trade well and which ones you should sit out.

Forecasts are consensus estimates and can change before each release. This is market information, not investment advice.