Thursday preview: China CPI, DS Smith in the spotlight

The focus in financial markets on Wednesday will be on Chinese consumer and factory gate price data covering the month of November.

The former is expected to accelerate by a full percentage point to 2.5% due to base effects and rising food prices, even as the annual rate of producer price increases ebbs to 12.1%.

On home shores, just past midnight the Recruitment and Employment Confederation will release its permanent staff placements and staff salary indices.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors will publish its own house price balance alongside.

In the US meanwhile, the market spotlight will on the latest weekly jobless claims, with investors eager for clues into the state of the jobs market.

The economic calendar across the Channel will be light, with only readings for German foreign trade and Irish consumer prices due out.

For DS Smith's first half, UBS analyst Mikael Doepel has penciled-in a rise in revenues from approximately £2.9bn one year ago to £3.25bn, putting him roughly in line with the analyst consensus.

However, the international packaging company's earnings before interest and taxes were pegged to come in at £288m (consensus: £275m), thanks to an improvement in its margins from 8.0% to 8.9%.

The analyst attributed the improved margin to higher average corrugated volume growth and average box prices, while noting that increased costs meaning that its overall performance was well in line with company expectations.

"Looking ahead, we expect the company to guide for continued (albeit moderating) volumes growth in the second half (UBSe +3%), and high confidence in covering cost inflation with higher box prices."

Thursday 09 December

INTERIMS

Clipper Logistics , DWF Group , LendInvest , Moonpig Group , Smith (DS), Watches of Switzerland Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, Aquila Services Group, Argentex Group , Caffyns, Charles Stanley Group, Circle Property , Cropper (James), D4T4 Solutions, Halfords Group, Homeserve, IG Design Group, Investec, Mobeus Income & Growth 2 Vct, NewRiver REIT, Redde Northgate, Severfield, Speedy Hire, Triple Point Income VCT C, Triple Point Income VCT D, Triple Point Income VCT E, Triple Point Vct 2011 A, VP

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Seplat Energy (DI)

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Assura , BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, XP Power Ltd. (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Current Account (GER) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

GMS

Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)

FINALS

Finsbury Growth & Income Trust, On The Beach Group , Victorian Plumbing Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Albion Venture Capital Trust, River and Mercantile Group

EGMS

Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S)

AGMS

Bioventix, BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, Doric Nimrod Air One Ltd, Doric Nimrod Air Three Limited Red Ord Pref Shs Npv, Doric Nimrod Air Two Ltd Pref Shs Npv, Frontier IP Group, Lok'n Store Group, Orchard Funding Group , Ridgecrest , Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited NPV, UK Mortgages Limited , Volution Group, Westmount Energy Ltd.

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balfour Beatty, Rolls-Royce Holdings

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Springfield Properties

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aeci 5 1/2% Prf, BATM Advanced Communications Ltd., London Finance & Investment Group, Orchard Funding Group , Oxford Metrics, River and Mercantile Group