Thursday preview: ECB's Draghi, RBS in focus

The focus on Thursday will likely shift away from Brexit and the UK towards the other side of the Channel.

A preliminary reading on IHS Markit's euro area manufacturing sector Purchasing Managers' Index will provide a valuable insight on the pace of growth on the Continent.

It will be followed early in the afternoon by the European Central Bank's policy decision and the last post-meeting press conference by its current chief, Mario Draghi.

Later in the afternoon, in the States, at 1330 BST the Department of Commerce will publish data on US durable goods orders for September and for new home sales referencing the same month.

On the corporate side of things, the focus will be on a third quarter trading update out of RBS.

Deutsche Bank's Amandeep-A Singh is anticipating a 25% drop in adjusted profits before tax to reach £1.223bn on the back of a 15% slide in total income to £3.096bn.

Operating expenses and impairments were both seen decreasing, but litigation and conduct costs were seen jumping by 148% to reach £965.0m.

Net interest margins were also seen worsening, to 1.83% from 1.93% in the comparable year ago period.

Thursday October 24

INTERIMS

Braemar Shipping Services

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AIREA, Belvoir Group, Gamma Communications, Mears Group, Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. (DI), Rockrose Energy, The Simplybiz Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Aberdeen New Thai Inv Trust, Animalcare Group, Balfour Beatty, CareTech Holding, Coats Group, Hansa Investment Company Limited (DI), Hansa Investment Company Limited 'A' Non Vtg (DI), Harwood Wealth Management Group, Howden Joinery Group, Inspired Energy, Invesco Asia Trust, ITV, M&C Saatchi, Maven Income & Growth VCT, Next Fifteen Communications, Octopus Titan VCT , Rolls-Royce Holdings, Smart Metering Systems, STM Group, Walker Greenbank, William Hill

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Fair Oaks Income Limited 2017 Shs NPV, Yew Grove Reit

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

City of London Inv Trust, Custodian Reit , M Winkworth

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (14:30)

Durable Goods Orders (US) (14:30)

ECB Interest Rate (EU) (12:45)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (14:30)

New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Q3

AstraZeneca, Kcell Joint Stock Co GDR (Reg S), Novolipetsk Steel GDS (Reg S), Royal Bank of Scotland Group

FINALS

RDI Reit

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Artemis VCT, River and Mercantile Group

AGMS

Aberforth Split Level Income Trust , Alumasc Group, Myanmar Investments International Ltd, Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd GDR (Reg S), Renishaw, South32 Limited (DI) , Stranger Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Royal Bank of Scotland Group, XPS Pensions Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

IG Group Holdings

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Avingtrans, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Ferguson, Fidelity Asian Values, Joules Group, Mulberry Group, TR European Growth Trust, Wetherspoon (J.D.)