Thursday preview: Trading hours for Christmas period

Traders will be taking it easy on Christmas Eve with markets due to close early in the UK, Europe and in the US.

UK trading will close at 1230 GMT on Thursday with little in the way of news expected, apart from a release on loans for house purchases in November from the British Bankers Association. Markets in the UK will reopen on Tuesday after a bank holiday on Monday.

In Europe, German markets will be shut all day Thursday and Friday but will be open on Monday. French trading closes at 1200 GMT on Thursday and will reopen on Monday.

Stateside, the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market close at 1800 GMT on Thursday. It is also expected to be quiet day across the Atlantic with the only notable release being the initial jobless claims report due at 1330 GMT.

US markets will reopen on Monday.

In contrast, Japan will have a busy day on Thursday after being closed on Wednesday for the Emperor’s Birthday, with the release of inflation figures, the jobless rate and household spending data.

Analysts expect Japan’s national consumer price index to be confirmed at 0.3% year-on-year in November.

Household spending in the nation is forecast to fall 2.2% in November compared to a year ago while the jobless rate is projected to rise to 3.2% in November from 3.1% in October.

Japan’s stock market will have normal trading hours on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday December 24

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Acal, BT Group, Burberry Group, Ensor Holdings, Fair Oaks Income Fund Limited C Shs NPV, Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), Gateley (Holdings) , KCOM Group, Premier Farnell Cum Cnv Red Prf (Sterling Coupon), Premier Farnell Cum Conv Red Pref Shs 1(USD Cpn), RPC Group, Vertu Motors

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Bank of America Corp., Duet Real Estate Finance Ltd

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Schroder Income Growth Fund

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Polymetal International

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
M Winkworth

AGMS
Emerging Market Minerals

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BBA Mortgage Lending Figures (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Pan African Resources

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Cambria Automobiles, Elegant Hotels Group , Grainger, Inland Homes, Schroder Asia Pacific Fund