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(Sharecast News) - The economic calendar on Thursday will be exceedingly light with a reading on weekly US unemployment claims the only event that might easily move markets.
Consensus is expecting but a slight drop in the number of initial jobless claims from 779,000 for the week before to 769,000.
A speech from European Central Bank vice-president, Luis De Guindos, will also be worth monitoring.
No major economic releases are scheduled in the UK.
Further afield, rate-setters in Manila are due to meet to decide on policy.
For AstraZeneca's fourth quarter, UBS analyst Michael Leuchten has penciled sales of $7.22bn, putting him slightly ahead of the consensus which is at $7.16bn.
Core operating profits on the other hand were pegged to come in at $1.94bn (consensus: $2.02bn) for earnings per share of $1.04 (consensus: $1.09).
"Top-line momentum remains key for investors," he said, adding that he expected investors to focus their questions on the outfit's business in China, which accounts for approximately a fifth of its sales.
The analyst also broke down his sales forecasts for AstraZeneca's key treatments: Tagrisso ($1.15bn), Lynparza ($483m), Imfinzi ($532m) and Calquence ($157m).
Going forwards, Leuchten expected AstraZeneca would guide towards single-digit topline growth - excluding vaccines - and for mid-to-high teens growth in earnings per share, with the latter not including gains from the spin-out of Viela.
Thursday 11 February
INTERIMS
MJ Gleeson
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Hargreaves Lansdown, Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, PZ Cussons, The Mission Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited, Chenavari Toro Income Fund Limited NPV, Custodian Reit , ICG Enterprise Trust, The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Q4
AstraZeneca
GMS
Coral Products, Tesco
FINALS
AstraZeneca, Coca-Cola European Partners (DI), Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI), Relx plc, Yamana Gold Inc. NPV (CDI)
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Anglo Asian Mining
EGMS
Glanbia, Law Debenture Corp.
AGMS
Euromoney Institutional Investor
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Sage Group, Unicorn AIM VCT
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Avon Rubber, Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Northamber
3 Jan 2024 07:54
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