Credit-checking specialist Experian releases six-months results on Thursday and we can expect more of what we saw in the first quarter, according to broker Charles Stanley.
The broker forecasts interim pre-tax profits of $500m, up from $450m the year before.
"For Experian, the largest area of revenue still lies in Credit Services (43% of group revenues) and with the eurozone sovereign debt crisis raging, it has [had an impact on] investor sentiment on occasions. Nevertheless, the share price has performed well," notes Charles Stanley analyst, Tony Shepard.
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"The interim results should provide further comfort and Experian's organic growth rate is expected to accelerate in the second half as the contribution from new products increases," Shepard adds.
Moving on to the property market, Panmure Gordon recently upgraded Land Securities to "buy" ahead of the real estate investment trust's interim figures on Thursday.
Panmure Gordon is looking for a 5% increase in revenue to £143m, a 14.4p interim dividend and 3% growth in net asset value per share to 850p.
"We also expect to hear of continued progress in lettings and reduced voids in addition to continued progress in developments in both London offices and the retail schemes at Leeds Trinity and Buchanan St, Glasgow," the broker added.
Business publisher and conference organiser Euromoney publishes full-year results, which are not expected to contain major surprises, given the company gave a reasonably full update some six weeks ago in a pre-close statement.
Market consensus is for profit before tax of £91.2m, up from £71.4m last year. Revenue is seen rising to £363.5m from £330.0m.
Investor scrutiny is likely to be on current trading and management expectations for fiscal 2012, though as Altium Securities notes, the first quarter of the financial year is usually a quiet one for the group and is not a very reliable guide to the rest of the year.
"The areas of revenue most likely to be effected by deteriorating macro conditions are advertising and sponsorship (together account for c.28% of group total). However, any weakness should be counterbalanced by Events and Subscription activities (c.24% / greater than 50% of group revenue respectively) where there is good momentum and we expect a robust performance," Altium states.
The broker adds that the results will also provide confirmation of whether sales/exchange rate movements in the final week of September have led to a higher than previously anticipated operating profit and therefore brought costs associated with the group's long-term incentive scheme forward by a year.
On the economic scene, it would be a major shock were the Bank of England to "do a European Central Bank" and announce a surprise cut in its key lending rate, which currently stands at an all-time low of 0.5%.
Focus, therefore, will be on the Bank's thoughts about its quantitative easing programme, which swung back into action last month with the Monetary Policy Committee announcing a £75bn increase to the programme.
INTERIMS
3i Group, Canaccord Financial Inc., Dairy Crest Group, Experian, Halfords Group, Himachal GDR (144a), In-Deed Online, Land Securities Group, Synergy Health, Vedanta Resources, Wincanton
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
British American Inv Trust, Yule Catto & Co
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consumer Confidence (JPN)
Machine Tool Orders (JPN)
CGPI (JPN)
Consumer Price Index (FRA) (06:30)
Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)
Industrial Production (FRA) (07:45)
Manufacturing Output (FRA) (07:45)
ECB Report (EU) (09:00)
Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Import and Export Price Indexes (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Bloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)
Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)
Q2
Canaccord Financial Inc.
Q3
Aegon NV, Cryptologic Ltd., European Goldfields Ltd., Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADS, Novae Group, Ruukki Group (DI), Zhejiang Expressway Co 'H' Shares
GMS
Waterman Group
FINALS
Euromoney Institutional Investor
ANNUAL REPORT
Associated British Foods
IMSS
BBA Aviation, Eurasian Natural Resources Corp., Hansard Global, Howden Joinery Group, IMI, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, Restaurant Group, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting), Sportech, Trinity Mirror
EGMS
Mitie Group
AGMS
Craneware, Genus, JPMorgan Global Emerging Income Trust, Medusa Mining Ltd. (DI), Stellar Diamonds, Synairgen, Thorpe (F.W.)
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
BoE Interest Rate Decision (12:00)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Quayle Munro Holdings
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