Thursday preview: China CPI, BT Group

Markets' focus on Thursday will continue to be very much on all things China as the country's National Bureau of Statistics releases a report on consumer prices covering the month of April.

Meanwhile, Chinese vice premier, Liu He, is set to arrive in Washington D.C. for another round of trade talks with investors' attention likely to be trained on any signs that a last-minute deal can still be salvaged.

Not far from traders' minds either will be the ongoing jostling within the Tory party for Theresa May's seat.

A trio of business surveys are also due out in the UK, including the RICS house price balance for April and the REC's Permanent Staff Salaries index for the same month.

Stateside, US Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell is set to deliver the opening remarks at a conference in Washington DC, at 1430 BST, although he may not make any policy-relevant comments.

Factory gate price data for April are scheduled for release alongside.

In the background, rate-setters in Norway and the Philippines are set to meet to decide on monetary policy.

BT Group may deliver a pleasant surprise for investors according to Numis's John Karidis.

In a research note sent to clients, the analyst said he was anticipating full-year operating profits on an EBITDA basis of £1,866m, less than the £2,036m achieved during the previous year but in any case ahead of the £1,857m tht the consensus had penciled-in consensus.

He was also ahead of consensus for the company's normalised free cash flow, anticipating £703m against the £665m forecast by his peers.

Karidis aslo pointed out that Thursday would offer the company's new boss, Philip Jansen, his first opportunity to engage with investors, which in itself "will likely be meaningfully positive for BT s stock given how undervalued it is at current levels."

The analyst didn't anticipate any change in strategy, although Jansen might opt to step up "harvest efficiencies" quicker, nor would he cut the dividend payout.

Karidis also believed the consensus was being too cautious on the outlook for BT's operating cash flows in Enterprise and Consumer for 2021.

And for Openreach, the risks to his and the consensus estimates is "likely on the upside and meaningful", especially for 2021.

Thursday May 09

INTERIMS

Cambria Automobiles

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Begbies Traynor Group, SCS Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, British Smaller Companies VCT, Focusrite, James Halstead, Lok'n Store Group, Smart (J) & Co., Symphony International Holdings Ltd.

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Asian Investment Trust, JPMorgan Japan Smaller Companies Trust

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BP, Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV, Ediston Property Investment Company, IBM Corp., Picton Property Income Ltd

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)

FINALS

3i Infrastructure, Air Partner, Akers Biosciences, Inc. , BT Group, Water Intelligence

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Admiral Group, Symphony International Holdings Ltd.

AGMS

Arbuthnot Banking Group, BAE Systems, Clarkson, Convatec Group , Crossword Cybersecurity, Direct Line Insurance Group, Elecosoft, Everyman Media Group , Glencore , Horizonte Minerals, Huntsworth, IMI, Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Melrose Industries, Moneysupermarket.com Group, National Express Group, OneSavings Bank, Petards Group, Rathbone Brothers, Reckitt Benckiser Group, Robinson, Serco Group, Tomco Energy, TT Electronics, Tyman, Unite Group, Wood Group (John)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Barratt Developments, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, RSA Insurance Group, Superdry

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Industrial Production (09:30)

Manufacturing Production (09:30)

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting), Ultra Electronics Holdings

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AA , Admiral Group, Bank of Ireland Group , Barr (A.G.), Card Factory, Centaur Media, Centrica, Eddie Stobart Logistics , Empresaria Group, Epwin Group, Gocompare.com Group, Gresham House, Hiscox Limited (DI), Hostelworld Group , Ibstock , Ocean Wilsons Holdings Ltd., Polymetal International, Reach, Robert Walters, Rosenblatt Group , RTC Group, Share plc, Soco International, Strix Group , Weiss Korea Opportunity Fund Ltd

Valeura Energy Inc NPV (DI)