Wednesday preview: Persimmon, JD Wetherspoon and Lancashire report

5th Nov 2013 14:53

Wednesday's agenda will be busy with interim results from FTSE 350 firms and economic data releases.Kicking off the day will be results from such companies as Persimmon, JD Wetherspoon and Lancashire.Housebuilder Persimmon is expected to confirm trading conditions since its last update at the end of August have been strong thanks to government schemes including Help to Buy, according to Numis. The broker predicts like-for-like sales at pub operator JD Wetherspoon to be 3-4% in the first quarter, ahead of the consensus of 2%, reflecting an improving market and better margin prospects.Insurance company Lancashire is anticipated to post third quarter results that provide a "positive tone" due to lack of hurricanes, Numis added. However, the sinking of the Perro Negro 6 jack-up rig off the coast of Angola, may weigh on results. In macro-economic news, Eurozone composite purchasing managers' index (PMI), retail sales and German factory orders will be unveiled.The Eurozone composite PMI for October is expected to come in at 51.5, in line with the previous month. Retail sales in the bloc are forecast to have risen 0.6% in September, compared to a 0.3% fall in August.German factory orders will increase 5.6% in September from a jump of 3.1% a month earlier, according to consensus. The data will come a day before the European Central Bank's policy meeting. Economists are speculating over a possible interest rate cut and monetary easing following a batch of weak economic reports and a drop in inflation.In the UK a report on industrial production is anticipated to show a rise of 1.8% in September from a decline of 1.5% a month earlier. Gross domestic product estimates for October from National Institute of Economic and Social Research will also be unveiled and is expected to come in at 0.5%, down from 0.8% the prior month.Later in the US will be the release of Mortgage Bankers Association figures on mortgage applications.Wednesday November 6thINTERIMSDCC, Experian, FirstGroup, Heath (Samuel) & SonsINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECarillion, Dillistone Group, StatPro Group, Telefonica SAINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEAmati VCT , Brightside Group, Bunzl, C&C Group, Downing Planned Exit VCT 2 'C' Shares, Downing Planned Exit VCT 2 'D' Shares , Downing Planned Exit VCT 2 'F' Shares, Downing Planned Exit VCT 2 'G' Shares, Downing Planned Exit VCT 3 'C' Shares, Downing Planned Exit VCT 3 'D' Shares , Downing Planned Exit VCT 3 F Shares, Elderstreet VCT, Hunting, Laird, Maven Income & Growth VCT, Mission Marketing Group, Pace, Proven Planned Exit VCT, SThree, Stobart Group Ltd., WhitbreadQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEBarclays, BP, IBM Corp., Real Estate Credit Investments PCC Ltd, Utilico Investments Ltd (DI)INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCrude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)Factory Orders (GER) (11:00)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)PMI Construction (GER) (08:55)PMI Services (EU) (09:00)PMI Services (GER) (08:55)Productivity (US) (13:30)Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)Speech Cleveland Fed PresidentQ3Lancashire Holdings Limited, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Smurfit Kappa GroupFINALSEgdon Resources, GoldplatIMSSMondi, Old Mutual, PersimmonEGMSResource Holding Management Limited (DI)AGMSAvingtrans, Hargreaves Services, Macau Property Opportunities Fund Ltd., Mobile Streams, Resource Holding Management Limited (DI), Sinclair Is PharmaUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBRC Shop Price Index (00:01)Industrial Production (09:30)Manufacturing Production (09:30)New Car Registrations (09:30)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEAbcam, Allocate Software, Ashmore Group, Centaur Media, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Hargreaves Services, James Halstead, JPMorgan Overseas Inv Trust, Jupiter Primadona Growth Trust, Matchtech Group, RegenersisRD