Friday preview: Catlin Group reports half-year figures

Insurance company Catlin Group will on Friday release its half-year results which are expected to reflect the effects of disasters such as floods in Central Europe and Canada and tornados in Oklahoma.The firm also insured the Costa Concordia cruise ship that sank last year after hitting a rock as it sailed close to the island of Giglio. The loss for the stricken ship continues to grow with Munich Re revealing removal costs for the wreck are likely to exceed $1.1bn, according to reports on Thursday.In February the FTSE 250 property and casualty insurer and reinsurer increased its annual dividend by 5.4% following strong 2012 results. Annual profits before tax came to $339m, up from $71m the previous year, driven by underwriting services which generated a net contribution of $788m, the highest in five years and a 143% increase from a year ago."The non-London/UK underwriting hubs continue to grow and now account for 50% of overall gross premiums written," Chairman, John Barton, said at the time. "More importantly, all of our underwriting hubs produced underwriting contributions in 2012."Friday August 9th INTERIMSAFI Development, Catlin Group Ltd.QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBritish Land CoINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSWholesales Inventories (US) (15:00)GMSWasabi EnergySPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAveva GroupEGMSFinsbury Growth & Income TrustFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECable & Wireless Communications, Carphone Warehouse Group, Cropper (James), Ensor Holdings, GB Group, Hyder Consulting, Monks Inv Trust, Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Phoenix IT Group, Sepura, VP, Walker GreenbankRD Castelnau Group