China's National People's Congress opens Thursday with analysts expecting a 4.5-5% growth target, potentially the lowest in decades. The annual meeting will unveil the country's latest five-year plan, with a high-tech focus raising concerns about Beijing's continued use of state-backed subsidies to dominate global manufacturing. This comes as China faces economic headwinds and intensifying trade tensions.

Meanwhile, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves plans a deliberately uneventful economic statement Tuesday, seeking to portray Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government as stable after Labour's by-election loss to the Greens. A better-than-expected tax take has given Reeves fiscal breathing room, with the key message to business being "here's a stability dividend" through competent economic management.

The week's economic data remains light, but purchasing managers' index reports for services and construction will provide international comparisons. Employment updates from the EU and US round out the data calendar as earnings season winds down, with US retail results offering insights into consumer spending trends.