Friday preview: Coronavirus, IAG in focus

The focus at the end of the week will continue to be on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, although key technical levels on the main stockmarket will increasingly come into play, particularly on Wall Street given that its role as a bellwether for global investor sentiment.

Against that backdrop, a slew of economic indicators is set for release in the US, euro area and Japan.

Stateside, at 1330 GMT the Department of Commerce is due to release readings for international trade and personal income and spending in January, followed by the MNI Chicago regional manufacturing gauge for February at 1445 GMT and a final reading on US consumer confidence for February at 1500 GMT.

In the euro area meanwhile, preliminary consumer price data for February are due out in France, Germany and Italy, alongside the latest monthly print on unemployment in Germany.

On home shores, the sole economic report due out is consultancy GfK's consumer confidence gauge for February.

Corporate updates from IAG and the London Stock Exchange Group may make for an especially interesting read given the recent sharp share price drops for both companies.

For the fomer, UBS analyst Jarrod Castle has penciled-in full-year 2019 revenues for a 5.4% drop in earnings before interest and taxes to €3.297bn.

Looking out to 2020 meanwhile, Castle is anticipating an EBIT of €3.503bn, versus a consensus estimate of €3.628bn, although he expects investors' focus to be on the near-term trading outlook.

For the London Stock Exchange's second half numbers, his colleague Michael Werner is anticipating an 8% rise in total income on the comparable year ago period to reach £1.16bn with gross profits ahead by 10% at £1.05bn.

Sales at its over-the-counter clearing business, LCH, are seen 11% higher to £278m while at FTSE Russell they are expected to have grown by 8% to £462m.

And with operating expenditures seen up by 5% year-on-year, earnings before interest, depreciation and taxes are projected to come in 19% stronger.

Friday 28 February

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

CPL Resources, Downing One VCT , K3 Capital Group , NB Private Equity Partners Ltd., PHSC, Totally

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

City of London Inv Trust, Civitas Social Housing , Custodian Reit , Picton Property Income Ltd, SQN Asset Finance Income Fund Limited, SQN Asset Finance Income Fund Limited 'C Shares', SQN Secured Income Fund

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

Personal Income (US) (13:30)

Personal Spending (US) (13:30)

U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (15:00)

Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

FINALS

CRH, Dev Clever Holdings, Foxtons Group , Glenveagh Properties, Jupiter Fund Management , London Stock Exchange Group, Rolls-Royce Holdings

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Triple Point Vct 2011 A

AGMS

Finsbury Growth & Income Trust, Green & Smart Holdings, Merian Chrysalis Investment Company Limited NPV

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Gooch & Housego, Greencore Group, M & G Credit Income Investment Trust , Oxford Metrics, Trian Investors 1 Limited NPV, Watkin Jones