Friday preview: UK retail sales, Burberry in focus

The market spotlight going into the bank holiday will remain on the UK, with a reading on retail sales for April is due out.

Barclays Research expects the figures will reveal a 20.5% downdraft in sales volumes month-on-month but in a research note sent to clients that their own proprietary survey had pointed to a possible recovery towards the end of the reference month.

No major economic releases are scheduled in the US or euro area.

Further afield, consumer price data ex-perishables also for the month of April are scheduled for release in Japan.

The spotlight in the corporate arena will be on fashion giant Burberry full-year numbers.

UBS analyst Zuzanna Pusz is forecasting a 4% decline in full-year 2020 sales to £2.61bn at constant currencies, for a 19% drop in earnings before interest and taxes and margins at 13.5%.

For the fourth quarter alone however, retail revenues are seen crashing by 30% as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The analyst said that: "Investors will look for indications on current performance in China and the pace of the recovery, and any early signs post the lifting of lockdown measure in some European countries."

Friday 22 May

INTERIMS

Future

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Primary Health Properties, Supermarket Income Reit

GMS

Craven House Capital

FINALS

Burberry Group, United Utilities Group

AGMS

Bango, Barr (A.G.), Breedon Group , Centrica, CIP Merchant Capital Limited NPV, Headlam Group, JSC Halyk Bank GDR (Reg S), Low & Bonar, One Media IP Group, PJSC PhosAgro GDR (Regs), SDX Energy Inc. (DI), Spectris

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Close Brothers Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

888 Holdings, Antofagasta, Gresham House, Kaz Minerals , Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Octopus AIM VCT 2, Schroder Asian Total Return Investment Company , Spirax-Sarco Engineering