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