Friday preview: US-China trade, Pearson in focus
By Alexander Bueso
Date: Thursday 21 Feb 2019
(Sharecast News) - The spotlight at the end of the week will continue to be on the headlines out of the ongoing US-China trade talks in Washington and from those on the UK's withdrawal, in Brussels.
Also scheduled for Friday is a slate of Fed speakers, starting from 1015 GMT, who are expected to focus on the central bank's plans for its balance sheet.
Across the Channel meanwhile, Germany's IFO Institute is due to publish the results of its closely-followed business confidence gauge referencing the month of February.
Among the few corporates that are set to update markets at the end of the week is Pearson.
Analysts at Numis estimate that the publisher will post full-year profits before tax of £519.5m for earnings per share of 71.3p.
Revenues meanwhile are seen at £4.2bn and the dividend pay-out at 20p.
Given the company's recent trading update on 16 January, there was limited room for any material surprises, analyst Gareth Davies told clients.
Thus, in his opinion further commentary regarding the outlook will be key and based on management's current guidance has 2019 EPS of 57.7p penciled-in.
Nonetheless, in a research note sent to clients he also said: "We retain a Sell on Pearson, feel at over 16x one year forward the shares remain expensive given structural headwinds faced by the business."
Friday February 22
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Downing One VCT , Puma Vct 11, Triple Point Vct 2011 A
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
Primary Health Properties, SQN Secured Income Fund , Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited C Shs NPV, Tufton Oceanic Assets Limited NPV
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)
GDP (Preliminary) (GER) (07:00)
IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)
IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)
IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)
U. of Michigan Confidence (US) (15:00)
FINALS
Afarak Group (DI), Pearson
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Victrex plc
EGMS
Urals Energy Public Co Ltd. (DI)
AGMS
APC Technology Group, Caledonian Trust
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Inv Trust, RWS Holdings, Victrex plc, Zytronic
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