Share Search
Visit the Share Search
You are here:
Leisure and hospitality giant Whitbread is expected report its fourth quarter trading update on Wednesday. The update is likely to be welcomed by markets due to an improving UK consumer environment and strength in the hotel market.Analysts at UBS forecast fourth quarter revenue per available room growth of 8.5% for hotels, pub and restaurants like-for-like growth of 2.4% and Costa like-for-like growth of 5.0%. "We expect Premier Inn to have around 59,000 rooms open by year-end versus circa 59,500 implied by management's targets," said UBS.Engineering company Weir Group reports its full year 2014 figures, which are likely to show continued strength in both the Minerals and Oil & Gas business. "We expect 2014 results to be in line with expectations give the order book visibility at the time of its (Weir's) third quarter trading update," added Numis Securities.Alternative asset manager Man Group also reports full year earnings, with analysts at UBS looking for total adjusted pre-tax profit of $423m and assets under management at $74bn in the fourth quarter versus consensus at $72bn. "A clear positive message on the AHL (fund) flow pipeline is likely to be the key element for further outperformance from these results in our view," added UBS.On the economic agenda, Chinese flash manufacturing PMI data for January will be in sharp focus. As with all data from Chine in the first quarter of the year, the figures are likely to be affected by distortions related to the shift in timing of Lunar New Year. "Given the weakness of recent activity data, we believe the balance of risks lies to the downside for February," said Capital Economics, who expect a fall in the headline PMI index to 49.4 from 49.7 in January.Wednesday 25 FebruaryINTERIMSAvingtrans, Barratt Developments, Empiric Student Property, Hays, Ibex Global Solutions, MJ Gleeson , Tristel, Wilmington Group, Kier Group.QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEMerchants TrustINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCrude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)GMSCarcloFINALSHenderson Group, International Personal Finance, Man Group, Petrofac Ltd., Plus500 Ltd (DI), Rex Bionics, SEGRO, St James's Place, Telefonica SA, TSB Banking Group , Vitec Group, Weir Group, BritEGMSAmiad Water Systems Ltd, Petroceltic InternationalAGMSBankers Inv Trust, Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Driver GroupTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSSafestore HoldingsUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBBA Mortgage Lending Figures (09:30)