Friday preview: US retail sales, consumer confidence in focus

Financial markets' attention at the end of the week will be squarely on the release of a raft of economic indicators in the US.

Chief among those is the monthly retail sales report for September, which economists continued modest growth outside of automobiles following a sharp bounce back in sales during August.

Also due out is a preliminary reading on the University of Michigan's consumer confidence survey for the month of October.

Across the Channel, investors will be waiting on final readings for consumer price inflation in France and Italy, alongside new car registration data for the European Union.

No major economic releases are scheduled in the UK.

Friday 15 October

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Avast, Bakkavor Group , Derwent London, Epwin Group, Forterra, Frenkel Topping Group, Gamesys Group, Henry Boot, Highcroft Investment, Keystone Law Group , Melrose Industries, Oxford Technology 3 VCT, Restore

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

NB Global Monthly Income Fund Limited Red Ord Shs NPV £, Regional REIT Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

Business Inventories (US) (15:00)

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

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

ANNUAL REPORT

James Halstead

EGMS

Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) 'B' Limited

AGMS

Ashmore Group, Hargreaves Lansdown, Loungers , Tungsten Corporation

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rio Tinto

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Clipper Logistics , Norish Units (CDI), Oxford Instruments, PHSC, Trifast, UniVision Engineering Ltd.