Autumn Budget: Timeline of key economic data before November 26

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to deliver her autumn Budget statement on November 26.

This will set out her tax, borrowing and spending plans for the year ahead, and also include forecasts for the economy by the Government’s independent forecaster.

A range of economic news will come out between now and the Budget, which Ms Reeves will likely pay close attention to.

Here, the PA news agency sets out a timeline of key datasets due to be published and what they could mean for the economy.

– November 11 – Labour market

Official figures published on Tuesday showed the rate of unemployment rose to 5% in the three months to September, up from 4.8% in August.

Average regular wage growth also slowed over the latest period.

Experts said the weaker-than-expected figures strengthens the case for the Bank of England to cut interest rates next month.

Ms Reeves is thought to be preparing to target earners in her upcoming Budget, rather than employers, amid the weakening jobs market.

– November 13 – September/third quarter gross domestic product (GDP)

GDP figures on Thursday will provide an estimate for how much the economy grew between July and September.

These will be important figures for Ms Reeves following a lacklustre few months for the economy – with GDP predicted to grow by 0.2% in the third quarter, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics.

Ms Reeves has been hopeful that stronger economic growth can help increase tax revenues and support government spending plans.

Slow growth or the economy contracting in the third quarter would be a setback for the Chancellor and could reinforce plans to raise taxes to shore up the nation’s finances.

– November 19 – October inflation

UK Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation is thought to have peaked at 3.8% in recent months and is set to fall to close to 3% early next year, according to the Bank of England.

This means price rises could be set to ease in the coming months, offering some relief to households who have particularly been squeezed by rising food costs.

It would also be some good news for the Chancellor who has said she wants inflation to fall to support people with cost-of-living challenges and give the Bank of England room to cut interest rates.

– November 21 – October public sector finances

The latest data showing how much the Government borrowed in October will come just five days before the autumn Budget statement, meaning it is unlikely to have a substantial effect on the Chancellor’s plans nor the official economic forecasts.

However, it will be an important dataset after the most recent official figures showed that Government borrowing in September hit the highest level for the month in five years.

A further deficit in October could pile more pressure on the Treasury which has said it wants to bring down borrowing amid mounting Government debt costs.

Ms Reeves could use tax rises to plug what the National Institute of Economic and Social Research think tank said is a £50 billion black hole in public finances and give herself a larger fiscal headroom.