logo-loader

Thursday's agenda: UK OK, or och aye independence?

Published: 18:24 17 Sep 2014 BST

french_connection

Thursday in what we are still calling the United Kingdom will be dominated by the Scottish referendum vote.

Having taken a "no" vote as read for so long, markets had an attack of the wobbles as it looked like the faction in favour of breaking away from the rest of the UK might win the referendum.

Since then, a number of heavyweight politicians - not all of them popular north of the border - have mobilised in an attempt to halt the momentum of the 'yes' vote faction, plus there have been dark mutterings of the government putting pressure on big corporations to scare up some votes in favour of the status quo.

A good policy in such circumstances is to ignore the opinion polls and look at the odds the bookies are offering: betting exchange Betfair reckons a vote in favour of independence is a 7/2 long shot, though the odds have come in since the weekend when they were 4/1.

Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker, also makes it a 7/2 shot, but reckons the "yes" vote will exceed 46.5%.

Back when England and Scotland were separate kingdoms, the Scots could usually rely on a French Connection to support them in a dispute with the Auld Enemy.

Coincidentally, fashion firm French Connection has interims out in which it will be looking to keep its revival going.

The shares are up 86% this year, pulling out of a slump the shares have been in since 2011.

An improvement to the ranges and a commitment to holding prices has led to stronger like-for-like sales and gross margins in recent trading updates.

South African investment house Investec issues full-year results, and the weakness of the rand is likely to get a mention or two.

“Followers of the company will be looking for an update on the Australian business, and overall activity levels, which may have suffered over the quieter period for the larger financial markets in the northern hemisphere,” reckons Sheridan Admans at The Share Centre.

Significant announcements expected

Companies: Interims: French Connection (LON:FCCN), Summit Germany (LON:SMT), Premier Farnell (LON:PFL). Finals: Wilmington Group (LON:WIL), Sinclair IS PHARMA (LON:SPH), Petra Diamonds (LON:PDL). Trading statement: Investec (LON:INVP)

Economic: UK: Retail sales. US: Building permits. Housing starts. Initial jobless claims. Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey.

Cordiant Digital Infrastructure marks three years of strategic growth and...

Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Ltd (LSE:CORD) Chairman of Digital Infrastructure Steven Marshall and Chief Financial Officer Mark Tiner joined Steve Darling from Proactive to provide some insight on the company’s three-year anniversary since listing on the London Stock Market. The company...

1 hour, 37 minutes ago