Friday preview: China June trade data, Hays in the spotlight
Hays
91.90p
13:24 24/04/24
The focus at the end of the week will shift back towards Asia, with the Chinese customs and trade administration set to release its latest set of statistics for foreign trade, covering the month of June this time.
FTSE 250
19,805.25
13:35 24/04/24
FTSE 350
4,443.75
13:35 24/04/24
FTSE All-Share
4,397.78
13:35 24/04/24
Support Services
10,654.07
13:35 24/04/24
A preliminary reading on the University of Michigan's consumer confidence survey, which sometimes does move financial markets, for July is also set for release.
Across the Channel, investors will be keeping tabs on a meeting of European Union finance ministers, or ECOFIN, from which analysts at Barclays Research will be looking out for concrete details regarding the recently agreed deal on migration.
Among the companies set to update investors at the end of the week is recruitment specialist Hays, which may provide some additional insights into recent labour market trends in the UK from a micro perspective.
Analyst Steve Woolf at Numis is forecasting net fees up 12% on the year for the company's fourth fiscal quarter, versus a 10% rise in the third quarter, helped in part by favourable base effects and the unwinding of last quarter's seasonal hit from Easter.
Germany, Asia and other areas of Europe are all expected to show strong growth, with the UK the relative laggard with activity levels down by around 2% on the year.
Woolf also forecast the company would announce a special dividend of roughly 3.5p per share, for an additional dividend yield of about 1.9%.
Friday July 13
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Britvic, Nexus Infrastructure , Patisserie Holdings , Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) 'B' Limited, Topps Tiles, Urban&Civic
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Regional REIT Limited, Schlumberger Ltd.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)
U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)
FINALS
Hays
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
F&C Managed Portfolio Trust Income Shares, Octopus VCT 3, Octopus VCT 4, Taylor Wimpey
AGMS
Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd Com Shs (DI), Lekoil Ltd (DI), Rhythmone, Seneca Global Income & Growth Trust, Triple Point Vct 2011 A, Workspace Group
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ashmore, DCC, DP Eurasia N.V. (DI) , Experian, Workspace
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Aberdeen Japan Investment Trust , Anglo-Eastern Plantations, C&C Group, Camellia, Dillistone Group, Flowtech Fluidpower, ICG Enterprise Trust, Inspired Energy, Marks & Spencer Group, New Century AIM VCT 2, Sainsbury (J), Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund Ltd