Non-farm payrolls will be at the top of investors' minds on Friday, after this week's minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting noted that the labour market was moving into a better balance.
In the continued absence of corporate results, economic data will once again steal the limelight on Thursday, with service-sector indicators in focus across the globe and labour-market figures due in the US.
With corporate results and updates once again thin on the ground, the focus of Wednesday's trading will be firmly fixed on economic data from the US, amid ongoing speculation regarding the outlook for interest rates.
There will be an absence of corporate results on Friday as markets wind down for the Christmas holiday, but that won't stop a flurry of economic data announcements from being released from the UK and US.
As scheduled corporate results begin to die down ahead of the festive break, much of Thursday's focus will be on economic data from the US, as markets continue to watch indicators closely for any hints at what the future holds for monetary policy.