Friday preview: UK services data in focus on quiet day
Friday is set to be an extremely quiet day on the markets due to the closure of US stock exchanges and a thin economic data calendar, along with a dearth of scheduled company results.
The Markit/CIPS UK services purchasing managers' index is likely to be the main event of the day for the City and comes on the back of mixed PMIs on the construction and manufacturing sectors earlier in the week. Analysts expect the PMI to have risen to 57.5 after falling to a five-month low of 56.5 in May.
The UK manufacturing PMI on Wednesday unexpectedly dropped to a 26-month low in June of 51.4, while Thursday's UK construction PMI rebounded more than anticipated to a four-month high of 58.1.
News flow on Greece is likely to remain quiet, given that the government has confirmed that a referendum will go ahead as planned on Sunday, and that creditors have refused to discuss a bailout deal until after the public vote.
Meanwhile, equity markets in the States will close early for a long weekend as the country holds its Fourth of July celebrations.
Friday 03 July
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Associated British Foods, Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Debenhams, Grainger, Shaftesbury, SSP Group , UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
JP Morgan Chase & Co
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
PMI Composite (EU) (09:00)
PMI Composite (GER) (08:55)
PMI Services (EU) (09:00)
PMI Services (GER) (08:55)
Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)
FINALS
Polar Capital Technology Trust
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Helios Underwriting, Small Companies Dividend Trust, Synthomer, Taylor Wimpey
AGMS
Circle Oil, Distil, Industrial Mlulti Propety Trust
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Official Reserves (09:30)
PMI Composite (09:30)
PMI Services (09:30)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Ashley (Laura) Holding, BBGI SICAV S.A. (DI), Billington Holdings, Camellia, Christie Group, Compagnie de St-Gobain SA, Galasys, Helios Underwriting, Hill & Smith Holdings, Inspired Energy, Laird, London & Associated Properties, Marshalls, Menzies(John), Octopus VCT 2, Pace, Sprue Aegis, Stobart Group Ltd., Synthomer, TP5 VCT, TP5 VCT 'B' Shares, Whitbread