Wednesday preview: US new home sales, Barclays in the spotlight

The market spotlight on Wednesday will continue to be on the US housing sector.

Consensus is that at 1330 BST the Department of Commerce will announce a decline in new home sales from an annualised pace of 685,000 for August to 580,000 in September.

Also due out at that same hour is a preliminary reading for the US visible trade balance covering the same month.

Across the Channel meanwhile, at 0900 BST the European Central Bank will publish M3 money supply figures covering the month of September.

No major economic releases are scheduled in the UK.

On the corporate side of things, Barclays is due to update investors on third quarter trading.

With its shares trading near their 52-week lows and coming out of what Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, termed an "underwhelming" first half, operating expenses for the year are expected to post a sharp rise due to litigation costs.

The full-year total for the latter is seen by analysts reaching £16.7bn, to well above the lender's previous outlook for £15bn.

In the US, after the close of trading it will be Meta Platforms's turn to face shareholders.

Consensus is for third quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.91, down from $2.46 a year earlier.

A kaleidescope of challenges ranging from falling user numbers, competition for its Instagram platform from TikTok, rising headcount and little payoff as of yet from heavy investments in its Metaverse.

Wednesday 26 October

INTERIMS

Bytes Technology Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Midwich Group, Morgan Sindall Group, Smith & Nephew

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Alpha Real Trust Ltd., Ecora Resources

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Wholesales Inventories (US) (13:30)

Q3

Standard Chartered

FINALS

Virgin Wines UK

AGMS

KCR Residential Reit, Mirada, Omega Diagnostics Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fresnillo, Reckitt Benckiser Group, WPP