Thursday preview: UK GDP, trade figures

Stock watchers will be able to buff up their mince pie eating skills on Thursday while UK economists will be able to join them in gluttonous habits once a slew of economic data is out of the way at 9:30am.

The Office for National Statistics is expected to confirm its previous estimate of a 0.5% increase in gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter.

The UK current account deficit in the third quarter is expected to widen to £4.3bn from £2.02bn in the previous quarter.

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INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Charles Stanley Group, Helical Bar

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Total SA

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

GDP (Final) (US) (13:30)

House Price Index (US) (15:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Leading Indicators (US) (15:00)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Final) (US) (15:00)

GMS

Brightside Group, European Goldfields Ltd.

AGMS

Blue Planet Worldwide Financials Inv Trust, Gem BioFuels, Peninsular Gold Ltd., Zambeef Products

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Payments (09:30)

Current Account (09:30)

GDP (quarterly national accounts) (09:30)

Index of Services (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

GETECH Group, Ultimate Finance Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Zambeef Products