Thursday preview: Yellen, US and Eurozone data, RBS finals

26th Feb 2014 14:48

All eyes will be on Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Thursday when she testifies before the Senate on monetary policy and the economy.Yellen has indicated that the Fed will probably continue to scale back monthly asset purchases at each policy meeting until ending it all together later this year.The move has prompted concerns that it might hurt growth in emerging markets. Yellen was praised over the weekend for her efforts at soothing such fears at the Group of 20 Finance ministers meeting in Sydney.Tomorrow's testimony, which had been delayed due to bad weather, might provide further clues as to the Fed's next step ahead of its March policy meeting.Acting as a backdrop will be the release of economic data tomorrow including US durable goods and initial jobless claims. Durable goods orders may have fallen 1.6% in January, compared to a 4.2% drop in December, according to the consensus forecast.US initial jobless claims are expected to have increased 335,000 in the week to February 21st, down slightly from 336,000 the previous week.In the Eurozone, consumer confidence figures will be released along with German unemployment data.On the company front, Royal Bank of Scotland will be in focus as it releases its annual results. Numis expects core operating profit of £5bn (2012: £5.8bn), a non-core loss of £1.9bn (2012: £2.9bn) and an internal bad bank loss of £4.5bn as an upfront provision.The lender is also forecast to reveal costs of integration and restructuring and fines for interest swaps mis-selling and payment protection insurance. "This will be Chief Executive Officer Ross McEwan's first presentation to investors on revised strategy and targets for RBS," Numis said, issuing an 'add' rating."We expect the focus to be on the scale of the Markets business and the overall cost base."Fellow FTSE 100 companies Capita, British American Tobacco, Whitbread and WPP are also out with results. Thursday February 27thINTERIMSBarratt Developments, Hansard Global, Kier Group, Redrow, RicardoINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATELivermore Investments Group Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)German Unemployment Rate (EU) (08:55)Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)Q4Wentworth Resources Ltd (DI)FINALSBodycote, British American Tobacco, Capita, COLT Group SA, Countrywide, Derwent London, Domino's Pizza Group, H&T Group, Howden Joinery Group, Jupiter Fund Management , Kazakhmys, Lavendon Group, Macfarlane Group, Man Group, Merlin Entertainments , National Express Group, New Britain Palm Oil Ltd. (DI), Premier Oil, Promethean World, Reed Elsevier, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, RPS Group, RSA Insurance Group, Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S), Spectris, Sphere Medical Holding, Spirent Communications, Standard Life, Wentworth Resources Ltd (DI), WPP, XchangingEGMSAXA Property Trust Ltd, Housing Securities Ltd 8.375% Debs 25/01/19 £AGMSAberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. GDR (Reg S), Driver Group, GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd, IDOX, Jelf Group, ZytronicTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSHansard GlobalRD