Friday preview: UK retail sales, Phoenix Group in the spotlight

(Sharecast News) - Financial markets' focus at the end of the week would be on the UK consumer.

Overnight, consultancy GfK would publish the results of its UK consumer confidence survey for March.

They would be followed at 0700 GMT by retail sales figures for February from the Office for National Statistics.

In the U.S., the market spotlight would be on a speech by Fed boss Jerome Powell at 1400 GMT.

Earlier, at 0800 GMT Germany's Federal Office of Statistics would release import price data for January.

At 1000 GMT, the IFO institute's closely-followed business confidence index for march was due out.

In the company space, Phoenix Group was due to publish its full-year 2023 results.

UBS's Nasib Ahmed expects the long-term savings and retirement business to focus on its plans to deleverage and capabilities to increase its solvency II own funds and IFRS 17 equity.

He was also anticipating a final dividend per share announcement of 27.3p, against 26.7p for the consensus.

The firm's next three-year cash generation target was seen at £4bn, which would be in line with market expectations.

Friday 22 March

INTERIMS

SkinBioTherapeutics , Smiths Group, Wetherspoon (J.D.)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Mattioli Woods, Mobeus Income & Growth 4 Vct, Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red PTG Pref Shares

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Unilever

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

GMS

Triple Point Energy Transition

FINALS

Dunedin Enterprise Investment Trust, Phoenix Group Holdings , Robinson

ANNUAL REPORT

Nexus Infrastructure

AGMS

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (DI), Kitwave Group, URU Metals Ltd. (DI), URU Metals Ltd. (DI), URU Metals Ltd. (DI)

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

GFK Consumer Confidence (00:01)

Retail Sales (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

easyJet, Gulf Investment Fund, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Hercules Site Services , Impax Asset Management Group, Ramsdens Holdings