Week ahead: Keller Group, Carnival Group

15th Dec 2012 19:38

The coming week will begin with investors peering into their rear view mirrors to see what has been the result of the weekend meetings of China´s Central Economic Working Conference, which will set the tone for economic policies for 2013. The results of the weekend Japanese elections will also attract attention. Following the above, on Monday or Tuesday the Italian Senate is expected to to vote the budget for the coming year, opening the way for new Presidential elections for perhaps as early the middle of February.In the UK the data calendar will be quite intense in the coming week. Annual consumer price inflation (CPI) figures on Tuesday are expected to reveal a small decline as energy prices recede. Nevertheless, analysts are already looking out to an expected sharp rise in the following month. The above data comes as the Bank of England has opened a policy debate on the possible modification of its inflation targets and after survey data from PricewaterhouseCooper showed that retailers last week offered the most holiday discounts since 2008. Linked to all of the above, the minutes of the Bank´s last rate-setting meeting - also due on Wednesday - may shed light on how the central bank interpreted the latest drop in industrial production data. Public sector borrowing data is also scheduled for release on Friday.Over on the other side of the pond - fiscal cliff worries aside - Wednesday and Thursday will see important housing data published, followed by personal income figures for the month of November on Friday.The Swedish and Norwegian central monetary policy decisions are scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday. "The economic background in the two Nordic economies has diverged quite significantly, with conditions in the former deteriorating at a rapid speed," write economists at Credit Suisse. Meantime, and on the company front, international ground engineering specialist Keller Group will release results on Tuesday. A series of upbeat trading statements have resulted in positive earnings momentum this year. While many of its end markets remain difficult, early action on costs and improving efficiency is working, Panmure Gordon wrote on Friday.Carnival´s full year results - on Thursday - are expected to show a sharp fall in earnings, reflecting costs associated with the Costa Concordia accident in January 2012 and the impact of the incident on customer confidence to book cruises. Outlook comments and guidance for 2012/13 will be closely analysed, analysts at Charles Stanley told clients. "Management has previously indicated that net revenue yields will be down in the first quarter, but should show a sharp improvement from the second quarter on-wards as the anniversary of the Costa Concordia accident passes. We expect net revenue guidance for the 2012/13 full year to be in the range of +2% to +4%," they add.Monday December 17INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEC&C Group, Chamberlin, E2V Technologies, Telecom PlusQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATETotal SAINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (EU) (11:00)AGMSAeorema Communications, Churchill Mining, Jubilee Platinum, Physiomics, Proactis Holdings, Spectra Systems CorporationTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSAggrekoFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEFidelity Special Values, Henderson Fledgling Trust , Inland Homes, Lok'n Store Group, Smart (J) & Co., World Careers Network, YouGovUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSRightmove house price index for December (00:01)Tuesday December 18INTERIMSOSJC Center for Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S), Park GroupINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSABC Consumer Confidence (US) (22:00)Balance of Payments (US) (13:30)Current Account (US) (13:30)Q3OSJC Center for Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S)FINALSHiwave TechnologiesANNUAL REPORTFinsbury Growth & Income TrustEGMSDatang International Power Generation Co Ltd., INA-Industrija Nafte D.D. GDR (Reg S), Lukoil 'B' GDR (Reg S)AGMSDotDigital Group, Henderson Far East Income Ltd., Paragon Entertainment Ltd (DI), Standard Life Equity Income TrustTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSKeller Group, Petrofac Ltd.UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSConsumer Price Index (09:30)Producer Price Index (09:30)Retail Price Index (09:30)Wednesday December 19INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEVedanta ResourcesINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEBetfair Group, Burberry Group, Greene King, Halfords Group, JPMorgan Euro Small Co. Trust, Juridica Investments Ltd., United Utilities GroupINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Payments (EU) (09:00)Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)Building Permits (US) (13:30)Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)Current Account (EU) (09:00)Housing Starts (US) (13:30)IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)GMSAdventis Group, InvensysSPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATELancashire HoldingsEGMSEMED Mining Public Ltd., JSC Acron GDR (Reg S)AGMSAXA Property Trust Ltd, Craven House Capital, Kedco, Noble Investments (UK), Sportingbet, Westmount Energy Ltd.UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBoE Interest Rate Minutes (09:30)CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEArtemis VCT, Carr's Milling Industries, JPMorgan Chinese Inv Trust, OMG, SportingbetThursday December 20INTERIMSImmofinanz AGINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEPayPoint, TEP Exchange Group, VictoriaQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATERoyal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B', Total SAQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATECaterpillar Inc., Dow Chemical CoINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSConsumer Confidence Indicator (EU) (10:00)Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)GDP (Final) (US) (13:30)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)Leading Indicators (US) (15:00)Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)GMSMothercareSPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECanadian General Investments Ltd.EGMSAir China Ltd., Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADSAGMSAkers Biosciences Inc. (Reg S), GCM Resources, Gemfields, JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust, SimiGon Ltd. (DI)TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSSerco GroupFULL YEAR RESULTSCarnival GroupUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSInternet Retail Sales (09:30)Retail Sales (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEGETECH GroupFriday December 21INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEEstablishment Inv Trust, Invensys, Investment Company, MS International, TescoQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBP, Molex Inc., Molex Inc. 'A' SharesINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSPersonal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)Personal Income (US) (13:30)Personal Spending (US) (13:30)U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (15:00)GMSMonitise, SkyepharmaEGMSBanco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SAAGMSBerkeley Mineral Resources, Ludgate Environmental Fund Ltd., Mining Investments Resources, Norseman Gold, Nova Resources Limited (DI), Zambeef ProductsUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Payments (09:30)Current Account (09:30)GDP (quarterly national accounts) (09:30)GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)Index of Services (09:30)Public Sector Finances (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECVS Group, Dunelm Group, Hornby, JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust, Northern Venture Trust, St Ives, Standard Life Equity Income Trust