What's in store today...

Supermarket chain Morrison (MRW) fell out of favour with investors yesterday after revealing that chief executive Marc Bolland is set to depart for Marks & Spencer (MKS). Its third quarter results are expected to show a resilient performance as its market share continues to grow.
 
However, lower food price inflation and tough comparisons are likely to have taken their toll on Morrison's as much as other supermarket chains with underlying sales growth, excluding fuel and VAT, to have risen by 4.5% in the 13 weeks to 2 November, compared to a 7.8% year on year rise in the first half of the financial year.

Retailer Halfords (HFD) posted sales data with its second quarter trading update in October, so the focus will be on margins, strategy update and forecasts for next year. Like-for-like sales lifted 2.2% in the three months to the beginning of October, up from 1.7% in the first half.

The market now has expectations for interim pre-tax profits of around £61 million, up from £49 million a year ago.

All eyes will be on the National Grid (NG-) interim dividend with brokers predicting a rise in the interim payment to 13.6p from 12.6p last year. They also expect the company to stand by its commitment to raising its dividend by 8% each year until March 2012.

On the economic side of things the retail sales figures are predicted to paint a slightly brighter picture of life on the High Street following disappointing readings in August and September. Economists have pencilled in a 0.7% increase from September's level to take the annual rise to 3.1%.  which would give an annual increase of 3.1%.
 
Results:
 
(Finals) Renewable Energy Generation
(Interims) FFastFill, London & Stamford Property, National Grid, Plastics Capital, SABMiller, Scapa Group, Young & Co's Brewery, Morrison Group, Halfords
 
AGMs:
 
Hansard Global, Ricardo Group, Town Centre Securities
 
EGMs:
 
Rathbone Brothers
 
Dividend Payment Date:
 
(Final) Close Brothers Group, JPMorgan Mid Cap Inv Trust, Thorpe
(Interim) Game Group, M&C Saatchi, Tomkins, Tullett Prebn