Week ahead: Traders brace for election results

All eyes will be on the outcome of the elections on Friday and with some polls pointing to a quickly closing lead, traders will be on guard against a potential upset for the Tories which might result in a 'hung' parliament.

Against that backdrop, investors will also be keeping close tabs on the flow of data out of the People's Republic of China, with reports on services sector activity (Monday), international trade (Wednesday) and consumer prices in the Asian giant all set for release throughout the week.

Fresh estimates on monthly Chinese credit growth are also due out.

Earlier, on Monday, markets will key off services sector purchasing managers surveys in the UK and US, followed by equivalent data from the euro area on the next day.

Election aside, the other main event of the week will be Thursday's European Central Bank policy meeting, although no changes are expected in the monetary authority's main policy settings or guidance.

Monday June 05

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Smart (J) & Co.

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Total SA

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (US) (15:00)
ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00)

FINALS
Intercede Group

EGMS
Amedeo Air Four Plus Limited

AGMS
Africa Opportunity Fund Limited, Arix Bioscience , Cambian Group, Frontera Resources Corporation (DI), Redstoneconnect, TBC Bank Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Epwin Group, Weir Group

Tuesday June 06

INTERIMS
Gooch & Housego, IDOX, Oxford Metrics, Private & Commercial Finance Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
James Halstead

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)
Retail Sales (EU) (11:00)

GMS
Amec Foster Wheeler

FINALS
Acal, AO World, B.P. Marsh & Partners, Carclo, Freeagent Holdings, Fulcrum Utility Services Ltd. (DI), GB Group, KCOM Group, Palace Capital , Vianet Group, VP, WYG

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hostelworld Group

EGMS
Medilink-Global UK Ltd.

AGMS
Bagir Group Ltd. (DI), Fair Oaks Income Limited 2017 Shs NPV, Fidelity Japanese Values, Forbidden Technologies, Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI), Genel Energy, London & Associated Properties, Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust, Mobile Tornado Group, NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Limited, Realm Therapeutics , Safestay, Shawbrook Group, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), The Gym Group, Vietnam Enterprise Investments (DI)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Joules Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hostelworld Group , Integrated Diagnostics Holdings

Wednesday June 07

INTERIMS
Shoe Zone

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Pembroke Vct, Pembroke Vct B

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Barloworld Ltd.

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Unilever

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Credit (US) (20:00)
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
Gross Domestic Product (EU) (10:00)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

GMS
Compass Group

FINALS
Grafenia , Picton Property Income Ltd, Ramsdens Holdings , RPC Group, SRT Marine Systems, Sysgroup, Tricorn Group, Workspace Group

ANNUAL REPORT
Biotech Growth Trust (The), SRT Marine Systems

AGMS
Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Albion Technology & General VCT, Audioboom Group, Bisichi Mining, Centralnic Group , Comptoir Group, daVictus, Dillistone Group, Hurricane Energy, Ingenious Entertainment VCT 1 G Shs, Ingenious Entertainment VCT 1 H Shs, Ingenious Entertainment VCT 2 G Shs, Ingenious Entertainment Vct 2 H Shs, International Public Partnerships Ltd., Jackpotjoy, JSC Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant GDR (Reg S), M&C Saatchi, Mears Group, Northbridge Industrial Services, Secure Income Reit , Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust Ltd., WPP

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halifax House Price Index (08:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Central Asia Metals

Thursday June 08

INTERIMS
Standard Life Private Equity Trust

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fidelity Special Values

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Artemis VCT, Associated British Foods, Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust, British Empire Trust, Connect Group, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), General Accident 'A', Hargreave Hale AIM VCT 1, ITE Group, Redefine International, TOC Property Backed Lending Trust, Urban&Civic , Victrex plc, Watkin Jones

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
M Winkworth

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Brunner Inv Trust, Premier Energy & Water Trust, Regional REIT Limited, UIL Limited (DI), Volta Finance Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Industrial Production (GER) (07:00)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

GMS
Solo Oil

FINALS
Auto Trader Group , CMC Markets, First Property Group, Volex

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fidessa Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Artemis VCT, Booker Group, Electra Private Equity, Helios Underwriting, Perpetual Income & Growth Inv Trust

AGMS
AA , Aurora Investment Trust, BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, Dignity, Invesco Perpetual UK Small Companies Inv Trust, Pagegroup, Panmure Gordon & Co, Porta Communications , Scisys, Sopheon

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Boohoo.com

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fidessa Group, Legal & General Group, Macfarlane Group, William Hill

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Air Partner, Anglo-Eastern Plantations, Applegreen, Arrow Global Group, Billington Holdings, Booker Group, Camellia, Capital Gearing Trust, Christie Group, Good Energy Group, Helios Underwriting, Inspired Energy, John Laing Environmental Assets Group Limited , Johnson Matthey, Judges Scientific, Learning Technologies Group , London Security, M&C Saatchi, Nasstar, Phoenix Spree Deutschland Limited Shs NPV , Restore, Rotala, RTC Group, Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust, SIG, Spectra Systems Corporation, Synthomer, TBC Bank Group, Triple Point VCT 2011, Triple Point Vct 2011 A, Vodafone Group, WPP, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares

Friday June 09

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Focusrite, Lok'n Store Group, McCarthy & Stone

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (GER) (07:00)
Current Account (GER) (07:00)
Wholesales Inventories (US) (13:30)

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Derwent London

AGMS
Baker Steel Resources Trust Ltd., Deltex Medical Group, M. P. Evans Group, PJSC MNC Norilsk Nickel ADR, Public Joint Stock Company Gazprom Neft ADR, Public Joint Stock Company Severstal GDR (Reg S), Richoux Group, Telefonica SA, Telefonica SA, Tomco Energy, Vertu Capital Limited (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Balance of Trade (09:30)
Industrial Production (09:30)
Manufacturing Production (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Barr (A.G.), Card Factory, Carillion, Computacenter, Derwent London, Exova Group , G4S, Ibstock , Irish Continental Group Units, Keller Group, Ocean Wilsons Holdings Ltd., Robert Walters, Science Group , SDL, SThree, Trinity Mirror