Merlin Entertainments updates the market, with any long term effect of the serious accident at Alton Towers on the theme park owner an issue for investors.
The accident, which took place in June led to the temporary closure of the park, and rides in two of Merlin's other parks.
“Having already guided current 2015 full year profits lower - underlying profit before tax is now expected to be broadly flat year over year,” Bowman at Hargreaves said.
This week, retailers bemoaned the bad UK weather over the summer, and investors will expect more of the same in the tourist attraction sector,
“The market will be interested in any progress with the strategy to develop more hotels and restaurants at the resorts in order to cater to more of the needs of its customers,” Graham Spooner at The Share Centre said.
Earlier in the week, B&Q owner Kingfisher reports on Tuesday and investors will be keen to see how its ‘One Kingfisher’ strategy is progressing.
The retailer’s July second quarter update saw it reporting some early success, with the pilot of its unified IT system commencing on time in Ireland.
In March, the company announced it was to take the axe to its B&Q DIY chain, with 60 shops to close, and Keith Bowman at Hargreaves Lansdown said: “News regarding store closures and supply chain efficiencies could be forthcoming.”
The interim results are expected to show adjusted pre-tax profit increased by around 4% to £380mln, following a strong second quarter.
In economic news, focus will be firmly on Thursday’s Federal Open Market Committee announcement.
Investec said: “Whilst we expect no change in headline policy we judge that lift-off point is not far off; indeed, had it not been for the recent China-led risk aversion we would have been banking on the first rate rise arriving at the upcoming meeting.”
Instead, it reckons the Fed is proceed with caution while reminding markets that it is on course to tighten policy over the next few months.
“Our forecast for lift-off is now December, however we note that October also stands in play,” the broker said.
Significant announcements expected
Monday
Final: Kalibrate Technologies (LON:KLBT), Empiric Student Property (LON:ESP).
Interims: Global Ports Investments (LON:80GM), Christie Group (LON:CTG), Midatech Pharma (LON:MTPH), Central Asia Metals (LON:CAML), Real Estate Investors (LON:RLE), Escher Group (LON:ESCH), Applegreen (LON:APGN).
Economic: EU – Industrial production.
Tuesday
Finals: Wilmington Group (LON:WIL).
Interims: Kingfisher (LON:KGF), NetPlay TV (LON:NPT), TLA Worldwide (LON:TLA), Manx Telecom (LON:MANX), Hydrogen Group (LON:HYDG), Centralnic Group (LON:CNIC), Accesso Technology group (LON:ACSO), Bango (LON:BGO), HaloSource (LON:HAL).
Trading statement: Ocado Group (LON:OCDO).
Economic: UK – RPI, PPI, CPI, EU – ZEW survey, Balance of Trade, New car registrations, US – Retail sales, Industrial production.
Wednesday
Final: Galliford Try (LON:GFRD).
Interims: Smart Metering Systems (LON:SMS), M.P. Evans Group (LON:MPE), JD Sports Fashion (LON:JD.), Vislink (LON:VLK), Epwin Group (LON:EPWN), Mi-Pay Group (LON:MPAY), Synairgen (LON:SNG).
Trading statement: Imagination Technologies Group (LON:IMG).
Economic: UK – Unemployment rate, EU – CPI, US – CPI, Crude oil inventories.
Thursday
Final: Town Centre Securities (LON:TCSC), Kier Group (LON:KIE), Just Retirement Group (LON:JRG).
Interims: Eleco (LON:ELCO), French Connection Group (LON:FCCN), Premier Farnell (LON:PFL)
Trading statement: Northgate (LON:NTG), Merlin Entertainments (LON:MERL), Investec (LON:INVP).
Companies trading ex-dividend: Petrofac (LON:PFC), Primary Health Properties (LON:PHP), Neptune-Calculus Income and Growth VCT (LON:NEP), Newmark Security (LON:NWT), Poundland Group (LON:PLND), Pheonix Spree Deutschland (LON:PSDL), Tribal Group (LON:TRB), Trifast (LON:TRI), Standard Chartered (LON:STAC), RPS Group (LON:RPS), Renishaw (LON:RSW), Molins (LON:MLIN), Interserve (LON:IRV), Costain Group (LON:COST), Derwent London (LON:DLN), Computacenter (LON:CCC), Carrs Group (LON:CARR), Antofagasta (LON:ANTO), BBA Aviation (LON:BBA), Ebiquity (LON:EBQ), Foresight Solar Fund (LON:FSFL), Indivior (LON:INDV), International Public Partnership (LON:INPP), Irish Continental Group (LON:ICGC), Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust (LON:HSL), Highcroft (LON:HCFT), AdEPT TElecom (LON:ADT)
Economic: UK – Retail sales, EU – ECB Report, US – Balance of payments, Current account, Housing starts, Philadelphia Fed index, FOMC Interest rate announcement.
Friday
Finals: Petra Diamonds (LON:PDL)
Economic: EU – Balance of payments, Current account, US – Leading indicators.