Wednesday preview: US services, Darktrace in the spotlight

(Sharecast News) - Financial markets' attention on Wednesday will shift more towards the U.S. where two surveys covering the health of the country's services sector are set for release.

First out will be S&P Global's services sector Purchasing Managers' Index for August at 1445 BST, followed by a rival and much more closely followed PMI from the Institute for Supply Management fifteen minutes afterwards.

Also due out in the States, at 1330 BST, are foreign trade statistics for the month of July.

Bank of Canada is also expected to announce at 1500 BST that official short-term interest rates were held at 5.0%.

Across the Channel, German factory orders figures for July will be published at 0700 BST and euro area retail sales data at 0800 BST.

Darktrace's full-year numbers will be in focus on Wednesday.

In July, the cybersecurity specialist disclosed the results of a review by consultancy EY of its accounting practices, which validated that they accurately reflected its financial position.

The outfit also said said it was anticipating a 31% jump in full-year revenues, thanks in part to the 396 new customers added during the last three months of the financial year.

"The move higher in the share price is currently finding it difficult to overcome the 400p level which also equates to the highs of the year, as well as the November 2022 highs at 415p," said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK.

Consensus was for a 31% rise in full-year revenues to $544m with management expected to guide towards current year margins in line with those of 2022 and for those in 2024 to come in at around 22%.

Wednesday 6 September

FINALS

Ashmore Group, Darktrace, Barratt Developments, Gateley (Holdings)

INTERIMS

Nexteq, Bakkavor Group, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Apax Global Alpha Limited

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Nexteq, Bakkavor Group, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Apax Global Alpha Limited

AGMs

Nexteq, Bakkavor Group, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Apax Global Alpha Limited

ANNUAL REPORT

Hargreaves Lansdown

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Cenkos Securities

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Construction (09:30)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Factory Orders (GER) (07:00)

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

Balance of Trade (13:30)

PMI Services (14:45)

PMI Composite (14:45)

PMI Services (15:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (15:30)