Thursday preview: Investors waiting on AstraZeneca and Barclays

Thursday will be another big day in capital markets in London. In particular, traders will be braced for the latest first quarter earnings figures out from drugs giant AstraZeneca.Analysts at Credit Suisse are forecasting core (based on their own definition) earnings per share (EPS) of $1.22 for the three months just ended and $4.24 for the full 2014 fiscal year, versus last year's $5.05.To take note of, the company's fiscal year guidance for a "teen decline in constant FX EPS" assumes a May 2014 generic Nexium launch, and this remains uncertain, as is the impact of recently approved EU generic Symbicort, the Swiss broker further points out to clients. Investors will also be keenly awaiting the details of Barclay's strategy review - particularly as pertains to its investment banking unit - which is set to be delivered at tomorrow's annual shareholders' meeting (AGM). On the macroeconomic front, in recent days some market observers have been highlighting the speech due to be delivered on Thursday by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi as one of the key risk events of the week for foreign exchange markets. He is scheduled to speak at 10:00 at an event marking the 200-year anniversary of the Netherlands' central bank. The latest reading on German business confidence, courtesy of the Munich-based IFO Institute, will be closely followed too, as always. It will be interesting to see how sentiment amongst the country's business community is being affected, or not, by the on-going tensions in Ukraine. Data on US durable goods orders and initial weekly unemployment claims are also set for release. Thursday April 24thINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEProduce InvestmentsINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)Durable Goods Orders (US) (13:30)IFO Business Climate (GER) (09:00)IFO Current Assessment (GER) (09:00)IFO Expectations (GER) (09:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)GMSDamille Investments II LtdFINALSAseana Properties Ltd., CamelliaANNUAL REPORTAfrican Barrick Gold , Anglo-Eastern PlantationsINTERIMSSpirit Pub CompanyQ1 AstraZenecaIMSSAfrican Barrick Gold, Amec, Anglo American, AZ Electronic Materials SA (DI), Berendsen, Cobham, Computacenter, Croda International, Henderson Group, International Ferro Metals Group, Pace, Senior, Travis Perkins, Elementis, Mecom, Premier Foods, UnileverAGMSAfrican Barrick Gold , Aggreko, Anglo American, AstraZeneca, Barclays, Berendsen, Cloudtag Inc, Cobham, COLT Group SA, Croda International, Diamond Bank GDR (Reg S), Elementis, European Assets Trust NV (Regd), Kennedy Ventures, LSL Property , Molins, New World Resources A Shares, Pace, Progressive Digital Media Group, Reed Elsevier, Sampo OYJ, SpaceandPeople, SThree, Symphony International Holdings Ltd., Tomco EnergyUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBelvoir Lettings, Maintel HoldingsAB