Friday preview: UK GDP

23rd Jul 2009 17:17

It's been another unbelievable week for UK equities, but all eyes turn to GDP data out Friday for any sign that markets may have got a little carried away.The nine-session rally that's added over 400 points in London could grind to a halt if predictions on the British economy prove wide of the mark.Economists think the UK shrank by 0.3% in the second quarter from the first three months of 2009. First quarter GDP fell 2.4%.Bank of England Deputy Governor Charles Bean has already said this week's number "will still show almost certainly a negative figure".TRADING UPDATE Vodafone INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Dunedin Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Friends Provident Group QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE Land Securities Group EGMS Matra Petroleum AGMS Acal, Advanced Computer Software, CDS Oil and Gas, Clarity Commerce Solutions, Enfis, HaiKe Chemical Group, JJB Sports, KCOM Group, Lipoxen, Maypole Group, Panmure Gordon & Co, Pubs 'n' Bars, Red Leopard Holdings, Taihua, Tanjong, Timestrip, UBC Media Group, Watermark Global FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Aberdeen Income & Growth VCT, Brown (N.) Group, Brulines, BSS Group, Edinburgh Inv Trust, Electrocomponents, Experian Group, Fuller Smith and Turner, Helical Bar, Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, SVM UK Active Fund, Tex Holdings