Thursday preview: US economic data, Kaz Minerals in the spotlight

The economic focus on Thursday will be firmly on the US, where a slew of economic data is set for release.

Among the data scheduled to be published are the regional Federal Reserve banks of New York and Philadelphia's manufacturing surveys for August, alongside reports on monthly retail sales and industrial production.

And in the UK, figures from the Office for National Statistics are expected to reveal a slowdown in the year-on-year rate of growth in retail sales from a pace of 3.8% for June to 2.5% in July.

Across the Channel meanwhile, the sole significant event on the calendar is the Norwegian central bank's interest rate announcement, at 0900 BST.

For Kaz Minerals, Deutsche Bank's Liam Fitzpatrick is anticipating interim earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of $601.0, for a 13.0% drop year-on-year.

Earnings per share meanwhile were seen down by 20.0% at US 50.0 cents.

The analyst also expects the miner to cut its full-year zinc output guidance from 50,000 kilotonnes to 40,000kt following a weak first half performance on the back of volatile grades at Artemyevskly and difficult geological conditions at Orlovsky.

Net debt meanwhile was pegged at $2.75bn or 34.0% more than in 2018.

Also key would be any update on progress at the Aktogay expansion project or regarding the Baimskaya project.

Thursday August 15

INTERIMS

Georgia Capital , GVC Holdings, GVC Holdings, Kaz Minerals , Marshalls, TBC Bank Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Treatt

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Anglo American, Aviva, Ferrexpo, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Ibstock , Legal & General Group, Mondi, NMCN, Pearson, Phoenix Group Holdings , Provident Financial, Quartix Holdings , Royal Bank of Scotland Group, SEGRO, Standard Life Aberdeen, Zegona Communications

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Anglo Pacific Group, Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc.

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Contour Global , Honeywell International Inc., ICG Enterprise Trust, Raven Property Group Limited Cum Red Pref, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B', The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, Tritax Eurobox (GBP)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Inventories (US) (15:00)

Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Industrial Production (EU) (00:00)

Industrial Production (US) (14:15)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Artemis Alpha Trust, Ibstock , Lindsell Train Inv Trust, RDL Realisation , Royal Bank of Scotland Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (09:30)

Producer Price Index (09:30)

Retail Sales (09:30)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, Ashtead Group, FIH Group , Iomart Group, Lindsell Train Inv Trust, London & Associated Properties, Maven Income And Growth VCT 6 , Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust, Motorpoint Group, Northgate, Severfield