Friday preview: Lloyds raises expectations for RBS's results

Part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) had a good day on Thursday, advancing in the slipstream of Lloyds after the latter's well-received results. RBS's own third quarter trading update, therefore, will probably need to be something special to live up to expectations raised by Lloyds.

Nomura says that the things to watch out for in RBS's third-quarter statement on Friday include: an improvement in core trends, particularly in NIMs (net interest margins); stable revenues in GBM (Global Banking and Markets); muted improvement in asset quality; and £350 in PPI provisions.

Friday will also see the first set of results from Direct Line Insurance Group, the insurance arm RBS span off last month. RBS still owns a large chunk of Direct Line shares and could certainly do with the first set of results setting the tone for more divestments further down the road.

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Advanced Medical Solutions Group, BBA Aviation, Brammer, F&C Private Equity Trust, GVC Holdings, Judges Scientific, Motivcom, New Britain Palm Oil Ltd. (DI), Tandem Group, Weir Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Investors Capital Trust 'A' Shares

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Factory Orders (US) (15:00)

Goods Orders (US) (15:00)

Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)

PMI Manufacturing(GER) (08:55)

Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)

Q3

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels

GMS

Stellar Resources

IMSS

Admiral Group, Direct Line Insurance Group, Meggitt, Royal Bank of Scotland Group

AGMS

Genesis Emerging Markets Fund Ltd., Rare Earth Minerals

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Pacific Horizon Inv Trust, Zetar

JH