Wednesday preview: Glaxo, BG, BATs

27th Oct 2009 14:56

Drugs giant GlaxoSmithkline should see third quarter revenues come in higher than in the corresponding period of last year, helped by favourable currency fluctuations and a boost from the swine flue epidemic. Charles Stanley is forecasting group revenue of £6.75bn, up from £5.88bn in the third quarter of last year.Weak natural gas prices have hit oil and gas firm BG Group, which is set to see third quarter post-tax profits fall, probably to around £450m, compared to £777m a year earlier. The company conceded at the half-year stage that there is a possibility it could fail to meet its full year production targets, so analysts will be keen to study third quarter output levels.Tobacco firm British American Tobacco gives a third quarter update. At the interim stage the company was confident enough in its prospects to hike its dividend to 27.9p from 22.1p a year ago. There have been rumours of a possible merger of the group's operations in Indonesia. The statement may also make reference to the possibility of legal action against the firm after the Lucky Strike cigarette company allegedly ordered a Canadian subsidiary to destroy scientific documents that pointed to health risks associated with smoking.INTERIMSAberdeen New Thai IT, Rugby EstatesINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEMartin Currie Portfolio Trust, Omega Insurance Holdings, SavillsINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEAlbany Inv Trust, Booker Group, Corin Group, First Derivatives, Harvey Nash Group, Hunting, Marshalls, New Britain Palm Oil Limited, Scisys, Senior, Stobart Group, Tullett Prebon, William HillQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEBankers Inv TrustINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSDurable Goods Orders (US) (12:30)New Homes Sales (US) (14:00)Consumer Prices Index (GER) Industrial Production (JPN)FINALSAero Inventory, Glisten, Nanoco GroupQUARTERLY RESULTSBG Group, GlaxoSmithklineEGMSVerisAGMSContentFilm, Gasol, London Finance & Investment Group, Westmount EnergyFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEMurray Income TrustFINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEAnglo and Overseas Trust, BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, Centaur Media, City of London Investment Group, Filtronic, Ricardo Group, Stagecoach Theatre Arts, ThorntonsTRADING STATEMENTSBritish American Tobacco, Prudential