Thursday preview: Bank of England, DS Smith in focus

At noon the Monetary Policy Committee is expected to announce a decision to keep Bank Rate unchanged at 5.25% by a vote of 7-2.

Also due out are decisions from the Swiss National Bank and Norges Bank.

Consensus is divided as to whether rate-setters at the former will cut rates by25 basis points to 1.25%, while at the latter they are widely seen at 4.50%.

Across the Channel, some investors may be watching the results of the French Treasury's latest €10.5bn of auctions of between three and eight year debt.

In the States meanwhile, a flurry of economic indicators are due out, including readings for weekly jobless claims, housing starts and the Philly Fed's regional factory index.

DS Smith is among the corporates due to report results on Thursday and UBS was anticipating a better-than-expected performance from the packaging specialist, especially on the topline.

Consensus for the company's second half 2024 sales was for revenues of about £3.54bn, against UBS analyst Andrew Jones's estimate for £3.67bn.

Nevertheless, during the second half of 2023 DS Smith had reported revenues of £3.92bn.

Guidance would be key, Jones said in a research report sent to clients. He was also expecting commentary to be bullish as regards upcoming price increases and better volume growth.

Producers were pushing for large containerboard price hikes, but for those to materialise underlying demand would need to continue its upward trend, he added.

The consensus estimate for the company's earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation was £718m.

Thursday 20 June

INTERIMS

Atrato Onsite Energy

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Arbuthnot Banking Group, Fidelity Special Values

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AVI Global Trust , Barings Emerging Emea Opportunities , Gooch & Housego, RWS Holdings

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Patria Private Equity Trust, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Building Permits (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Current Account (US) (13:30)

Housing Starts (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

Alpha Financial Markets Consulting, CMC Markets, Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited NPV, Smith (DS), Syncona Limited NPV

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Arbuthnot Banking Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Castings

EGMS

Marble Point Loan Financing Limited NPV

AGMS

Albion Development VCT, Angling Direct , Anglo Asian Mining, Animalcare Group, Aquila European Renewables (GBP), ASA International Group , Balanced Commercial Property Trust Limited , BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, Block Energy , Boohoo Group, Card Factory, Concurrent Technologies, Corero Network Security, Fadel Partners, Inc Com Stk Usd0.001 (Di) Regs Cat 3/144A, Finseta, Huatai Securities Co., Ltd GDR (Each Repr 10 A Shs RMB1) (Reg S) , Kingfisher, Kingfisher, Kingfisher, Likewise Group, Lords Group Trading, Northcoders Group , Pantheon Infrastructure , Panther Securities, Strix Group

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BoE Interest Rate Minutes (12:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aurora Investment Trust, BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, Gamma Communications, Yu Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

3i Group, Airtel Africa , Animalcare Group, Baillie Gifford China Growth Trust , British Land Company, Fidelity China Special Situations , Flowtech Fluidpower, GB Group, Inspired, Maven Income & Growth VCT, Mitie Group, Persimmon, S&U, Science Group , Tate & Lyle, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust, Touchstar, United Utilities Group, Vianet Group, VP, Wynnstay Properties