Week Ahead: Mitchells & Butlers, Game Group, sportswear retailers

18th Sep 2009 11:27

There was speculation earlier this month that the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would cut its deposit rate to zero or below to discourage banks from hoarding cash. In the event, the MPC opted for the status quo but since the rate announcement comments from Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, suggest that charging banks to deposit cash with the Bank of England is certainly under consideration.King described a cut in the deposit rate as 'sensible' and said that financial institutions' 'focus on recuperation' is hobbling the pace of economic recovery.On the same day in the US the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will announce its interest rate decision, but it is widely assumed there will be no change on this front so the focus will be on the Fed's plans for its quantitative easing programme. Observers have suggested that the FOMC will confirm that quantitative easing will end next month.It's looking like a fairly quiet week on the corporate front, with the exception of some announcements from leisure related companies. Sports retailer JJB Sports, which is co-operating with a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) enquiry into price fixing, releases interim figures on Thursday.The embattled retailer evidently has a fan in one of the world's richest men, Bill Gates. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust has a 3.14% stake in the company.Teenager clothes specialist JD Sports releases interim results on Tuesday where like for like sales growth is likely to be positive but the news on the gross margin may be less so.Video game and console seller Game Group is likely to see its interim pre-tax profit more than halve, as it goes up against tough comparative figures from a year earlier. KBC Peel Hunt predicts profit before tax of £15.9m and expects 'current trade is likely to remain firmly in negative territory.'Pubs group Mitchells & Butlers issues a trading statement on Thursday covering the six weeks since 11 July. Like for like sales in the eight weeks preceding 11 July were up 1.7% on a year earlier and that sort of growth could have been sustained since then if the performance of rival pub groups is any sort of benchmark, though a slackening of the rate would not be a surprise if the group has been trying to repair its margins.Monday September 21INTERIMSAmiad Filtration Systems, Green Dragon Gas, MP Evans, Phorm Inc (Reg S)INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEFirst Quantum MineralsFINALSMacau Property Opportunities FundEGMSChina GoldminesAGMSIimia Inv Trust, Indus Gas, New India Inv Trust, Total SystemsFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEDart Group, Gartmore Irish Growth, Harmony Gold Mining CompanyUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSRightmove House Prices (00:01)INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSLeading Indicators (USA) (15:00)Tuesday September 22INTERIMSAGI Therapeutics, Atlantic Global, BrainJuicer Group, Dealogic, JD Sports, Michelmersh Brick Holdings, Mobile Streams, Morson Group, SynchronicaINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEHochschild MiningFINALSAI Claims Solutions, CVS Group, Savile GroupEGMSThe Local Radio CompanyAGMSF&C Managed Portfolio Trust Growth Shares, F&C Managed Portfolio Trust Income Shares, Fndel, Harvard International, Northgate, Park GroupTRADING STATEMENTHolidaybreakINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSRichmond Fed Manufacturing Index (USA) (15:00)House Price Index (USA) (15:00)Wednesday September 23INTERIMSBond International Software, Charlemagne Capital, EG Solutions, Futura Medical, Game Group, Ideal Shopping Direct, Island Gas Resources, ZamanoINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEShore CapitalINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEAggreko, Aviva, Centrica, Chime Communications, Costain Group, Edinburgh US Tracker Trust, G4S, Goals Soccer Centres, H.R. Owen, Hardy Underwriting Bermuda, Highcroft Investment, Interserve, Invesco Perpetual UK Small Companies Inv Trust, IS Solutions, Just Car Clinics Group, Kentz Corporation, Macfarlane Group, Management Consulting Group, Neptune-Calculus Income & Growth VCT, Norish, Petrofac Ltd, Playtech, Raven Russia, RPS Group, Savills, ToLuna, Total Produce, Tribal Group, Vitec Group, WinQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATENew Star Financial Opportunities Ltd., Queen's Walk Investment Ltd., Stobart Group IncFINALSPureCircleAGMSMerchant Securities, Strategic Natural Resources, TrifastUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBoE Interest Rate Minutes (09:30)INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSFOMC Rate Decision (USA) (19:15)Consumer Spending (FRA) (07.45)Business Confidence Indicator (FRA) (07.50)Production Outlook Indicator (FRA) (07.50)PMI Manufacturing Survey (GER) (08.30)PMI Service Sector Survey (GER) (08.30)PMI Manufacturing Sector Survey (EC) (08:30)PMI Service Sector Survey (EC) (09:00)Composite Index (EC) (09:00)Industrial New Orders (EC) (10:00)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEIntelekFINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEBlackRock Commodities Income Inv Trust, Brooks Macdonald, Consort Medical, Invesco Perpetual AiM VCT, Kier Group, Mithras Inv Trust, Murray Income Trust, Sky HighThursday September 24INTERIMSACTA, HaiKe Chemical Group, Inditherm, JJB Sports, Panmure Gordon & Co, Pinnacle Staffing Group, S & UINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBrewin Dolphin, John Wood Group, PrudentialQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEFrontlineFINALSGroup NBT, LitcompEGMSMeikles AfricaAGMSEco Animal Health Group, Maxima Holdings, Micro Focus International Plc, NWF Group, Probability, Prosperity Voskhod Fund Ltd.TRADING STATEMENTMitchells & ButlersINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSWeekly Jobless Claims (USA) (13:30)Existing Home Sales (USA) (15:00)IfO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)IfO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)IfO Expectations (GER) (10:00)Supermarket Sales (JPN)Convenience Store Sales (JPN)Bank of Japan MPC Minutes for September (JPN)Friday September 25INTERIMSAfren, AlexonINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAberdeen Growth Opportunities VCT 2, Aberdeen Growth Opportunities VCT 2 'S' Shares, Aegis Group, BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, Catlin Group, Concurrent Technologies, Henderson Group, Henderson Opportunities Trust, LPA Group, Morant Wright Japan Income Trust, Ocean Wilsons, Paddy Power, Patsystems, REA Holdings, Rotork, Ultra Electronics HoldingsEGMSGlobal BrandsAGMS600 Group, ILX Group, Jupiter European Opportunities Trust, Triple Point VCTTRADING STATEMENTLuminar, WincantonFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAssetCo, Atkins (WS), BHP Billiton, Brooks Macdonald, Carpetright, F&C Commercial Property Trust, First Property Group, Fletcher King, Jupiter European Opportunities Trust, NCC Group, Personal Group Holdings, Scottish & Southern EnergyUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSTotal Business Investment (09:30)INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSDurable Goods Orders (USA) (13:30) New Homes Sales (USA) (15:00)University of Michigan Consumer Confidence (USA) (15:00)M3 Money Supply (EC) (09:00)