Thursday preview: US data, EasyJet in the spotlight

Investors' focus on Thursday would be on another raft of US economic data.

Chief among those would be the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's regional manufacturing sector survey for July.

Also due out were existing home sales data covering that same month.

And as ever, the latest weekly unemployment figures would be scrutinised for any signal of further easing in job market conditions.

Overnight meanwhile, the People's Republic of China was to announce its latest interest rate decision.

A reading for euro area producer prices in June was also scheduled for release.

On the company side of things, EasyJet was due to post its third quarter results.

There was optimism that the carrier would move back into the black in 2023 as travel returned to normal, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK said.

However, there was concern that higher fares might keep capacity levels from ever returning to their pre-Covid levels.

Travel disruptions were another potential negative.

At the time of its last results the company held guidance for 56m seats in the back half of the year with capacity seen at 94% in its fourth which was around pre-pandemic levels.

Consensus was for third quarter revenues to reach £2.27bn with passenger revenues hitting £1.75bn and a load factor of 89.8%.

Thursday 20 July

INTERIMS

Howden Joinery Group, PensionBee Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Hercules Site Services , Porvair

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Custodian Property Income Reit, JpMorgan China Growth & Income , M Winkworth, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Babcock International Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Bytes Technology Group , Invesco Select Trust Balanced Risk Alloc Shs

EGMS

Acg Acquisition Company Limited Cls A Npv (DI), Kingspan Group (CDI), UPL Limited GDR Reg S

AGMS

Big Yellow Group, CT UK High Income Trust, Evgen Pharma, FD Technologies Public Limited Company, Fidelity China Special Situations , Fidelity China Special Situations , Fuller Smith & Turner, Fuller Smith & Turner, GB Group, Halma, Intermediate Capital Group, International Distributions Services, Johnson Matthey, Octopus AIM VCT, Pennon Group, Premier Foods, QinetiQ Group, SSE, Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund Ltd

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Diploma, Dunelm Group, PensionBee Group , QinetiQ Group, SSE

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Sector Net Borrowing (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Centrica, DCC (CDI)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Bytes Technology Group , Castings, Cranswick, D4T4 Solutions, Ninety One , Northern 2 VCT, Northern 3 VCT, Northern Venture Trust, Pennon Group, Telecom Plus, Volex