Thursday preview: Brexit, retail sales and Diageo in focus

All things Brexit will continue to be high on the agenda on Thursday, as the European leaders' summit in Salzburg wraps-up.

Against that backdrop, ONS data is expected to reveal a slowdown in UK retail sales in August following the prior month's hot weather and World Cup-inspired surge.

Interest rate announcements around the world will also be in focus, including in Switzerland, Norway and South Africa.

A preliminary reading on euro area consumer confidence referencing the month of September is also set for release.

Stateside meanwhile, the Federal Reserve bank of Philadelphia's manufacturing sector gauge for September will be in focus, alongside readings on initial jobless claims and existing home sales.

Diageo will be in the corporate spotlight on Thursday, as the company hosts its Annual General Meeting.

Analysts at UBS believed the year had started out well for the drinks giant, estimating growth of 5% for the year-to-date and anticipating "broadly positive" comments about its performance in key markets.

They were also expecting the company to reiterate its mid-term guidance for sales and a 175 basis point improvement in margins by 2019.

Thursday September 20

INTERIMS

French Connection Group, Hvivo, Lamprell, Modern Water, Safestyle UK , Science In Sport, Scisys, Soco International, The City Pub Group , Venture Life Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Hochschild Mining, Rio Tinto, Sabre Insurance Group, Schroders, Schroders (Non-Voting)

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

AIREA, Belvoir Lettings, Crest Nicholson Holdings, Dignity, Drax Group, Elecosoft, Epwin Group, Forterra, Gamma Communications, Good Energy Group, GVC Holdings, Harworth Group, Henry Boot, HGCapital Trust, Hunters Property , International Public Partnerships Ltd., Irish Continental Group Units, Macfarlane Group, Maintel Holdings, Midwich Group, Non-Standard Finance, Nucleus Financial Group , Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI), Pendragon, Petrofac Ltd., Playtech, PPHE Hotel Group Ltd, Property Franchise Group, Sanne Group, STV Group, Taptica International (DI), The Simplybiz Group, Unite Group, Vitec Group

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust , Standard Life Private Equity Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Brooks Macdonald Group, Diurnal Group, Inland Homes, Kier Group

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Old Mutual Limited NPV (DI)

AGMS

Anglesey Mining, Arian Silver Corporation (DI), Auto Trader Group , Begbies Traynor Group, Cambium Global Timberland Ltd., Diageo, First Property Group, IG Group Holdings, Kainos Group , Petro Matad Ltd., Ryanair Holdings, Safeland, Twentyfour Income Fund Limited Ord Red

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Existing Home Sales (US) (15:00)

Retail Sales (09:30)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Ramsdens Holdings , Solid State

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

1pm, Dart Group, Hargreaves Services, Kainos Group , Mattioli Woods, Rank Group, Redrow, Renishaw, Sophos Group