Thursday preview: US data and Royal Dutch Shell in the spotlight

Financial markets on Thursday will be digesting the decision taken overnight by the US central bank to cut interest rates again, even while signalling a possible pause in its policy easing, in what some analysts described as a 'hawkish ease'.

Also due out overnight is the 'official' Chinese manufacturing sector Purchasing Managers' Index for October.

Against that backdrop, a raft of US economic data is set for release, including readings for initial jobless claims, personal income and spending and the regional Chicago factory PMI.

Across the Channel, the focus will be on preliminary CPI data in the euro area covering the month of October.

On home turf, the results of consultancy GfK's consumer confidence survey will be in the spotlight.

For Royal Dutch Shell's third quarter results, analysts at RBC Capital Markets have penciled-in net income of $3.7bn (consensus: $3.9bn) for operating cash flows of $12.5bn before interest payments, alongside capital expenditures of $6.3bn.

Gearing meanwhile is anticipated to be flat quarter-on-quarter at 27.1%.

"Similar to recent quarters, we do not expect the company to alter its path and expect the buyback run rate at around $2.75bn to continue each quarter," they said.

"That said, we think the company needs to show full coverage of the buyback via organic cash flow in order to be rewarded, and so far this coverage has been relatively patchy from quarter to quarter."

Wednesday 30 October

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Essentra, Shore Capital Group Ltd., Smith & Nephew, Trans-Siberian Gold, Xpediator

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)

Consumer Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (14:30)

Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)

GDP (Preliminary) (US) (12:30)

Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (11:00)

Services Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

Q3

Smurfit Kappa Group

FINALS

Leaf Clean Energy Co (DI)

EGMS

ADES International Holding (DI)

AGMS

Angle, Ashoka India Equity Investment Trust, Frontier Developments, Goldplat, Hargreaves Services, Ideagen, Pantheon International , Redde, Sensyne Health

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Haynes Publishing Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

North Atlantic Smaller Companies Inv Trust