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Wednesday preview: Imperial Brands, Provident Financial in the spotlight
Financial markets' focus on Wednesday will be on a steady stream of company updates.
Among the companies due to update investors is Imperial Brands, although after what Deutsche Bank's Gerry Gallagher labeled as the company's disappointing AGM on 7 February, its latest interims may be "something of a non-event".
Nevertheless, markets were continuing to question the scope for increased dividends.
Also out on Wednesday will be a trading statement from Provident Financial, with analysts at Numis expecting the company to tell investors that the recovery in Home Credit since the start of the year was continuing, alongside good growth, despite some slowing, at Moneybarn and Vanquis.
Indeed, management was expected to guide towards a return to profitability at Home Credit over the second half of 2018.
On the economic front, the main release will be a reading on wholesale prices in the US for the month of April.
That would follow data released by the Commerce Department on 30 April revealing a jump in the 'core' personal consumption expenditures price deflator - the Fed's preferred inflation gauge - from the 1.6% year-on-year clip observed in February to 1.9% for March.
It will be preceded by readings on French and Spanish industrial output for March.
In the UK meanwhile, the only report set for release is REC's permanent staff placements index for last month.
Wednesday May 09
INTERIMS
Compass Group, Imperial Brands , TUI AG Reg Shs (DI)
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British American Tobacco, JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, Mercantile Investment Trust (The)
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
IBM Corp.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)
FINALS
Aberdeen New Thai Inv Trust, Deltex Medical Group, Mirriad Advertising
AGMS
Ascential, British Smaller Companies VCT 2, Capital & Regional, Cello Health, Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), Ebiquity, Grafton Group Units, Greggs, Henderson High Income Trust, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), IFG Group, IGas Energy, Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Marshalls, Mobeus Income & Growth Vct, Patagonia Gold, Provident Financial, Rentokil Initial, Schroder Asian Total Return Investment Company , Standard Chartered, Ten Entertainment Group , Tomco Energy, Virgin Money Holdings (UK)
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Barratt Developments, G4S, Greggs, IFG Group, Marshalls, OneSavings Bank, Provident Financial, Renishaw, Vertu Motors, Wetherspoon (J.D.)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
JPMorgan US Smaller Co. Inv Tst, Smith & Nephew
Q1
Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI), EVS Broadcast Equipment SA, Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADS