Thursday preview: UK retail sales data, Easyjet reports trading statement

UK retail sales figures on Thursday will be closely watched for signs of how much consumer spending is contributing towards economic growth.Analysts predict the latest data from the Office for National Statistics will show retail sales increased 4.2% year-on-year in February, following a 4.8% increase a month earlier. Including autos, sales are pegged to climb 4.7% in February after a 5.4% gain in January.At the time of January's ONS report on retail sales, Howard Archer, chief European and UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said: "The prospects for retail sales and consumer spending overall for 2015 currently look bright, given significantly improving real earnings growth, rising employment and elevated confidence."Company-wise investors will be looking out for a trading update on Easyjet. The airline has said that it projects a first half loss before tax between £10m and £30m.Numis said: "We expect that Easyjet will report that it now expects the first half pre-tax loss to be towards to lower end of its guidance (i.e. nearer a £10m loss than a £30m loss) with disruption and weather condition in the second quarter having been largely favourable."There was, we believe, also a positive read-across from the 13 March trading update from Dart Group which indicated that group underlying operating profit for the full year 2015 would be ahead of market expectations with forward booking in the Leisure Travel business for summer 2015 'encouraging'." The broker issued a 'buy' rating for the company.Thursday 26 MarchINTERIMSEpiStem Holdings, Produce InvestmentsINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATECraneware, Go-Ahead Group, Sky, Smiths Group, Symphony International Holdings Ltd., Thorpe (F.W.), TristelQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBrunner Inv TrustQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEBritish Land Co, Schroder Income Growth FundINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSContinuing Claims (US) (12:30)GFK Consumer Confidence (GER) (07:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)Q4Signet Jewelers Ltd.GMSAviva, IP Group, IP Group, IP Group, IP GroupFINALSChurchill China, Concurrent Technologies, Corero Network Security, Henry Boot, IFG Group, International Public Partnerships Ltd., Mission Marketing Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , Personal Group Holdings, Safestyle UK , Signet Jewelers Ltd.ANNUAL REPORTLaird, W H Ireland GroupSPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBodycote, Fidelity European Values, Symphony International Holdings Ltd.AGMSAukett Swanke Group , Blackrock Throgmorton Trust, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Independent Inv Trust, Jarvis Securities, LPA Group, MoneySwap, W H Ireland GroupTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSDaily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V)UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)Internet Retail Sales (09:30)Retail Sales (09:30)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE32Red, BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, BlackRock World Mining Trust, Bodycote, Bovis Homes Group, Countrywide, Devro, Driver Group, Essentra, Fidelity European Values, Foreign and Colonial Inv Trust, Hiscox Ltd (CDI), Ladbrokes, LSL Property Services, Moneysupermarket.com Group, Phoenix Group Holdings (DI), Prudential, Real Estate Investors, RTC Group, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting), SEGRO, Stadium Group, Wynnstay Group