Friday preview: UK retail sales to steal the show

The economic data and corporate earnings calendars are set to quiet down on Friday with UK retail sales the only major scheduled announcement with the potential to move markets.

The Office for National Statistics is predicted to report a 0.5% fall in retail sales the month of December, after a stronger-than-expected 1.3% increase in November.

"Part of the decline is a normalisation from the sharp +1% m/m gain in November, which was to a large extent driven by strong Black Friday sales. However, wet weather also supports a slight decline," said analysts at TD Securities.

Year-on-year, however, retail sales growth is pencilled in a 1.1% for December, up from 0.1% the month before.

Over in the States, economic data will also be sparse, but December's existing-home sales and the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for January are scheduled for release, both of which are expected to show little to no change on the month before.

Friday January 19

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Babcock International Group, Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust, Halfords Group, MS International, Speedy Hire, Vertu Motors

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Real Estate Investors

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Foresight Enterprise VCT

AGMS

Character Group, Focusrite

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

4Imprint Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Retail Sales (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aeorema Communications, Northamber, Redcentric