Thursday preview: Global PMIs, ECB minutes in focus

The market spotlight on Thursday would be on a raft of preliminary survey results for manufacturing and services in the month of August due out in the UK, euro area and US.

The UK was expected to have fared best, thanks to a brisker pace of activity in services.

Activity levels in the euro area on the other hand were expected to have ticked lower and much more so in the States, albeit from significantly higher levels in the case of the US.

Indeed, euro area Purchasing Managers' Indices were expected to come in only marginally above the threshold consistent with any growth at all.

Also due out later in the session were existing home sales data for the US in July and Treasury auction results.

The euro area and UK PMIs were scheduled for release at 0800 BST and 0830 BST, respectively, and those in the US at 1345 BST.

At 1130 BST the European Central Bank would publish the minutes of its last rate-setting meeting.

In the background, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's annual economic symposium would be kicking off.

Thursday 22 August

INTERIMS

Bank of Georgia Group, LungLife AI, Inc (DI) , Partners Group Private Equity Limited. (EUR)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Hercules Site Services

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Atalaya Mining, Convatec Group , DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Bermuda Regd), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Jersey Reg), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Sing.Reg), Glanbia (CDI), Hammerson, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Ibstock , Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Jpmorgan Uk Small Cap Growth & Income, Just Group, Legal & General Group, Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Mondi, OSB Group , Rights & Issues Investment Trust , Sabre Insurance Group, Schroders, Shaftesbury Capital, St James's Place

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Asia Growth & Income

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Land Securities Group, RM Infrastructure Income, Vaalco Energy, Inc (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Q2

Bank of Georgia Group, Nexxen International LTD (DI)

FINALS

Hays

AGMS

Calnex Solutions , Oryx International Growth Fund Ltd.

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

QinetiQ Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Babcock International Group, Cohort, International Distribution Services, Investec, Molten Ventures VCT , Supreme , XPS Pensions Group