Thursday preview: Brexit, retail sales and Diageo in focus

19th Sep 2018 16:19

(Sharecast News) - All things Brexit will continue to be high on the agenda on Thursday, as the European leaders' summit in Salzburg wraps-up.Against that backdrop, ONS data is expected to reveal a slowdown in UK retail sales in August following the prior month's hot weather and World Cup-inspired surge.Interest rate announcements around the world will also be in focus, including in Switzerland, Norway and South Africa.A preliminary reading on euro area consumer confidence referencing the month of September is also set for release.Stateside meanwhile, the Federal Reserve bank of Philadelphia's manufacturing sector gauge for September will be in focus, alongside readings on initial jobless claims and existing home sales. Diageo will be in the corporate spotlight on Thursday, as the company hosts its Annual General Meeting.Analysts at UBS believed the year had started out well for the drinks giant, estimating growth of 5% for the year-to-date and anticipating "broadly positive" comments about its performance in key markets.They were also expecting the company to reiterate its mid-term guidance for sales and a 175 basis point improvement in margins by 2019.Thursday September 20INTERIMSFrench Connection Group, Hvivo, Lamprell, Modern Water, Safestyle UK , Science In Sport, Scisys, Soco International, The City Pub Group , Venture Life GroupINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEHochschild Mining, Rio Tinto, Sabre Insurance Group, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting)INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEAIREA, Belvoir Lettings, Crest Nicholson Holdings, Dignity, Drax Group, Elecosoft, Epwin Group, Forterra, Gamma Communications, Good Energy Group, GVC Holdings, Harworth Group, Henry Boot, HGCapital Trust, Hunters Property , International Public Partnerships Ltd., Irish Continental Group Units, Macfarlane Group, Maintel Holdings, Midwich Group, Non-Standard Finance, Nucleus Financial Group , Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI), Pendragon, Petrofac Ltd., Playtech, PPHE Hotel Group Ltd, Property Franchise Group, Sanne Group, STV Group, Taptica International (DI), The Simplybiz Group, Unite Group, Vitec GroupQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEAberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust , Standard Life Private Equity TrustINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSContinuing Claims (US) (13:30)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)FINALSBrooks Macdonald Group, Diurnal Group, Inland Homes, Kier GroupSPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEOld Mutual Limited NPV (DI)AGMSAnglesey Mining, Arian Silver Corporation (DI), Auto Trader Group , Begbies Traynor Group, Cambium Global Timberland Ltd., Diageo, First Property Group, IG Group Holdings, Kainos Group , Petro Matad Ltd., Ryanair Holdings, Safeland, Twentyfour Income Fund Limited Ord RedUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSExisting Home Sales (US) (15:00)Retail Sales (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATERamsdens Holdings , Solid StateFINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE1pm, Dart Group, Hargreaves Services, Kainos Group , Mattioli Woods, Rank Group, Redrow, Renishaw, Sophos Group