Friday preview: US non-farm payrolls, IAG in focus

All eyes at the end of the week would be on the US jobs market - geopolitics permitting.

At 1230 BST, the Department of Labor was expected to announce that the pace of hiring dipped to 175,000 during the month of July.

That would be down from a preliminary estimate of 206,000 for the month of June; however, revisions to previous months' figures could end up being key.

Average hourly earnings meanwhile were expected to rise by 0.3%.

No major economic data were due out in the UK, but at 1115 BST Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill was to deliver a speech.

French and Italian industrial production data for June would be published at 0645 BST and 0800 BST, respectively.

For IAG's interim results, UBS analyst Jarrod Castle believed that investors would be focusing on the carrier's outlook for summer 2024, as well as the potential for capital returns.

Castle's estimates were calling for second quarter revenues of around €8.2bn, against €7.7bn one year earlier.

That was expected to yield a quarterly operating profit of €1.013bn and net income of €673m.

IAG had posted operating profit and net income of €1.2 and €1.0bn for the comparable year earlier period, respectively.

Friday 02 August

INTERIMS

AIB Group (CDI), Bluebird Merchant Ventures (DI), International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI), Intertek Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Heavitree Brewery, Heavitree Brewery 'A' Shares, Kitwave Group, Premier Miton Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

British American Tobacco, CT UK High Income Trust, CT UK High Income Trust B , I3 Energy , TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Factory Orders (US) (15:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Q2

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI)

FINALS

Eutelsat Communications S.A. (CDI)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Record

AGMS

Bluebird Merchant Ventures (DI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Pets at Home Group , Virgin Money UK

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI), Burberry Group, Bytes Technology Group , Discoverie Group, GB Group, Helical, Intermediate Capital Group, JPMorgan European Discovery Trust, Norcros, Record, Tate & Lyle, Vianet Group, Vodafone Group, Workspace Group, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares, Young & Co's Brewery (Non-Voting)