Friday preview: UK retail sales, investor confidence in focus

Investors' attention at the end of the week will shift back to the UK and readings on retail sales and consumer confidence.

At 0700 BST, the Office for National Statistics is expected to report that retail sales slipped at a 0.2% month-on-month pace in July.

Also due out from ONS at the same hour are public sector net borrowing statistics for July

Previously, overnight, the results of consultancy GfK's consumer confidence survey for August are slated to be published just past midnight.

No major economic reports are scheduled for release in the US on Friday.

Across the Channel, the market spotlight will be a reading for German producer prices in July.

Also due out are data covering the euro area's current account in June.

In Japan, investors will be waiting on consumer price data excluding perishables for the month of July.

Friday 19 August

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Independent Inv Trust

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income, Primary Health Properties, SME Credit Realisation Fund Limited NPV

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Current Account (EU) (09:00)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

AGMS

Braemar Shipping Services, Citius Resources, Volex

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)

Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)

Retail Price Index (07:00)

Retail Sales (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Castings, CML Microsystems, FirstGroup, Northern 2 VCT, STM Group, Triad Group