Week ahead: Prudential, Standard Life, Mondi...

6th Aug 2010 13:18

Prudential has had a six months to forget with the collapse of its $35.5bn deal to buy AIA, but its interim figures should help to restore its reputation a little.Its strong results through the debacle of the AIA deal are probably the only thing that saved chief executive Tidjane Thiam's job.Brokers expect the half-year numbers to underline the point that he is doing a decent job running the company leaving his grand ambitions aside. The Pru has already said first quarter sales rose by 26% to £807m, with new business profit up 27% to £427m.Standard Life has had an altogether quieter six months than its larger rival, but results have also been strong. Latest quarter sales rose by 30%, to £4.6bn, while fund inflows also improved. Most life groups have been in bullish mood over the past week, Standard is likely to be similarly upbeat.Paper and packaging group Mondi has forecast underlying earnings per share in the six months to June to be in a range of 17c to 22c up from 8.3c this time last year. Intercontinental Hotels should post half year revenue of $775m, up from $726m, underlying earnings of $210m, up from $179m, and pre-tax profits of $180m up from $151 according to Charles Stanley.On the economic front, the Bank of England's quarterly inflation report will be keenly watched. Recent spikes in the price of wheat and other foodstuffs have added to concerns over imported inflation. The price of food leapt by 2.5% in July and it may cost even more in August as producers pass on higher wheat prices to shoppers. It must be giving Bank governor Mervyn King a lot to think about.Monday August 09INTERIMSDragon Oil, Hill and Smith, Morgan Sindall GroupINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (GER) (07:00)Current Account (GER) (07:00)GMSChloride Group, Dana PetroleumFINALSUnited CarpetsEGMSF&C Commercial Property Trust, UK Commercial Property TrustAGMSCentral China Goldfields, Tanfield GroupFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBisichi MiningTuesday August 10INTERIMSBATM Advanced, European Goldfields Limited, First Quantum Minerals, Greggs, InterContinental Hotels Group, International Power, Interserve, Mondi, Share PlcINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEPressure TechnologiesINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSABC Consumer Confidence (US) (22:00)Consumer Price Index(GER) (07:00)FOMC Interest Rate (US) (17:15)Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)Q2European Goldfields Limited, First Quantum MineralsQ3TUI TravelFINALSNWF GroupIMSSTUI TravelEGMSInvista Foundation Property TrustAGMSRedHot Media InternationalUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (09:30)BRC Sales Monitor (11:00)Wednesday August 11INTERIMSBalfour Beatty, Capital & Regional, Flying Brands, Grupo Clarin S.A. GDR (Reg S), Smurfit Kappa Group, Standard LifeINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEHolidaybreak, SafestoreINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE4imprint Group, Charter International, F&C Inv Trust, Ferrexpo, GKN, Invista Real Estate Investment Management Holdings, Ladbrokes, Law Debenture Corp., LSL Property Services, Meggitt, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Nichols, Rio Tinto, RSA Insurance Group, Schroders, Spirent Communications, St. Modwen Properties, Standard CharteredQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEBarclays, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, UnileverINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (US) (13:30)Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)Q2Grupo Clarin S.A. GDR (Reg S), Smurfit Kappa GroupGMSFieldbury, Gartmore European Inv TrustFINALSGreenko GroupIMSSMicro Focus International Plc, Thomas Cook GroupSPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEHeritage OilEGMSIndian Energy AGMSBedford Row VCT, Chapelthorpe, Datatec Ltd. (DI), Edge Performance VCT 'C' Shares, Edge Performance VCT 'D' Shares, Edge Performance VCT 'E' Shares, Edge Performance VCT 'F' Shares, IQ Holdings, Mountview EstateTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSHarvey Nash Group, Standard LifeUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBoE Inflation Report (09:30)Claimant Count Rate (09:30)Unemployment Rate (09:30)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEBlueStar SecuTech, BT Group, Cambium Global Timberland Ltd., City of London PR, DS Smith, Greene King, Northumbrian Water Group, Pennon GroupThursday August 12INTERIMSAegon , Alea Group Holdings (Bermuda) Limited, Anglogold Ashanti, Corac Group, Cryptologic Ld, Cyprotex, Lincat Group, Prudential, Psion, Ruukki Group, Telecom Egypt S.A.E GDS (Regs)INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEITE GroupINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSContinuing Claims (US) (13:30)ECB Report (EU) (09:00)Import and Export Price Indexes (US) (13:30)Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)Q2Anglogold Ashanti, Cryptologic Ld, Ruukki GroupGMSHorizonte MineralsANNUAL REPORTEredene CapitalIMSSGreencore Group, Holidaybreak, Income & Growth VCT EGMSInfrastructure IndiaAGMSInvestec, Minera IRL, Tapestry Investment Company PCC Ltd.FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECable & Wireless Communications, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, GB GroupFriday August 13INTERIMSAlpha Pyrenees Trust Ltd.INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAsset Man Inv TrustQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBritish Land Co, Quorum Oil and Gas Technology Fund Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (EU) (10:00)Business Inventories (US) (13:30)Consumer Price Index(US) (13:30)GDP (Flash Estimate) (EU) (10:00)Gross Domestic Product (GER) (07:00)Retail Sales (US) (13:45)Retail Sales Inventories (US) (15:15)U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (15:00)GMSDavenham, MisysEGMSChina Western InvestmentsAGMSImagination Technologies, Northacre, Tata Steel GDR (Reg S) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAmati VCT , Cropper (James), Ensor Holdings, Invesco Asia Trust, Majestic Wine, Mitie Group, Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust, SABMiller, Sepura, Tanjong