Thursday preview: Investors await US data, Greek summit

24th Jun 2015 14:44

While everyone will be keeping one eye on Greece on Thursday, data from the US released during the session will likely garner some attention.The latest numbers on filings for unemployment benefits and are expected to have remained close to levels not seen 2000 last week. Jobless claims are forecast to have risen by just 6,000 to 273,000 in the week ended 20 June after dropping 12,000 to 267,000 the week before.Personal income and spending numbers for May will also be released and are expected to show an improvement. Incomes are predicted to have increased by 0.5% after a 0.4% gain in April, while spending is said to have risen by 0.7% after no growth the previous month.Meanwhile, Markit's US service-sector purchasing managers' index is expected to have picked up to 56.5 in June from 56.2 in May, showing that growth has accelerated slightly this month.As for Greece, a summit of European leaders will kick off and could be the last chance for creditors to agree a deal that prevents Athens from defaulting on its €1.6bn repayment to the IMF next week.Germany is reportedly insisting that Greek politicians approve a new cash-for-reforms deal by Monday before bailout funds can be unlocked.However, German finance ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger on Wednesday downplayed the likelihood of an imminent deal, saying: "Our impression is that there's still a long way to go".Closer to home, Thursday's calendar also shows that a few stocks on the FTSE 100 are set to go ex-dividend on Thursday, including Compass, Experian and United Utilities.Releases from a number of smaller companies on the UK market will also be in focus, such as a second-quarter trading update from Costain and full-year reports from Cohort, Photo-Me International and DS Smith.FTSE 250-listed DS Smith, the largest of the bunch reporting on Thursday, is a supplier of paper and recycled packaging for consumer goods. The company said in a pre-close trading update in May that its performance in the financial year ended 30 April was in line with expectations and its outlook was positive.Consensus forecasts point to a pre-tax profit of £267m, up from £167m the previous year, though revenues are estimated to have fallen to £3.92bn from £4.04bn. Thursday 25 JuneINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATECompass Group, Gooch & Housego, Innovation Group, ITE Group, RWS HoldingsQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEMercantile Investment Trust (The), Real Estate Credit Investments PCC LtdINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSContinuing Claims (US) (13:30)GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)Personal Income (US) (13:30)Personal Spending (US) (13:30)FINALSCohort, Photo-Me International, Smith (DS)SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEJarvis Securities, Northern 2 VCT, Small Companies Dividend TrustAGMS3i Group, Afren, Akers Biosciences, Inc. , Amati VCT , Amati Vct 2, Andes Energia, Anpario, Anpario, BH Macro Ltd. GBP Shares, Bluerock Diamonds, Borders & Southern Petroleum, Cadogan Petroleum, Cadogan Petroleum, Carador Income Fund USD Shares, Cellcast, City Merchants High Yield Trust, Datang International Power Generation Co Ltd., Diamondcorp, Faroe Petroleum, First Derivatives, Golden Saint Resources Ltd (DI), Gresham House, Helios Underwriting, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. GDR (Reg S), Investors Capital Trust 'A' Shares, Investors Capital Trust 'B' Shares, Lifeline Scientific Inc., Lukoil 'B' GDR (Reg S), Magnolia Petroleum, New Century AIM VCT 2, Nighthawk Energy, North River Resources, Pactolus Hungarian Property, Photonstar LED Group, Porta Communications , PowerFilm Inc. (Reg S), Richoux Group, Science In Sport, Sphere Medical Holding, Stobart Group Ltd., Thalassa Holdings Ltd. (DI), Union Jack OilTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSCostain GroupUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, Centrica, Inchcape, Jiasen International Holdings Ltd, Manx Telecom , Premier Farnell, Tongaat-Hulett Ltd.FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEAnglo Pacific Group, B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI), B.P. Marsh & Partners, Bonmarche Holdings, Caffyns, Electrocomponents, Ensor Holdings, Fuller Smith & Turner, Hibernia Reit , Hogg Robinson Group, Investec Structured Products Calculus VCT, Investec Structured Products Calculus VCT 'C' Shares, JD Sports Fashion, KCOM Group, Mitie Group, Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, MS International, NetDimensions (Holdings) Limited (DI), Norcros, Northern 2 VCT, PayPoint, Record, Tex Holdings, TR Property Inv Trust, United Utilities Group, Vertu Motors, Vislink, Wynnstay Properties