Welcome to the week ahead, our summary of the forthcoming key company announcements. Companies are no longer obliged to notify the London Stock Exchange (LSE) of results and trading updates, so this list does not claim to be comprehensive. You can read company announcements at http://announce.ft.com and our daily online news summaries record all key company announcements and business press headlines.
Monday 5 January
Trading statement: Nichols
EGM: Hangar 8
Economics: Markit/CIPS UK construction, Halifax house prices
Companies paying dividends: Amec Foster Wheeler (14.8p), Blackrock North American Income Trust (1p), Dee Valley Group (20.5p), F&C Managed Portfolio Trust Income Shares (1.15p), Polyus Gold International (special) (9p)
Tuesday 6 January
Economics: Markit/CIPS composite PMI, services PMI, Official reserves
Companies paying dividends: British Empire Sec & Gen Trust (8.5p), Hill & Smith (6.4p), London Stock Exchange (9.7p), Management Consulting Group (0.23p), Renewable Energy Generation (1.65p), Rolls-Royce Holdings (9p), Town Centre Securities (7.34p), TR Property Investment Trust (2.95p).
Wednesday 7 January
Trading statements: easyJet, Galliford Try, Persimmon, Robert Walters, J Sainsbury
Economics: BRC shop price index, New car registrations
Companies paying dividends: 3i Group (2.7p), 3i Group (special) (3.3p), British Smaller Companies VCT (2p), De la Rue (8.3p), National Grid (14.71p), Norcros (0.185p), Sepura (0.69p), Solid State Supplies (4p)
Thursday 8 January
Trading statements: Dunelm Group, Hays, Interserve, Marks & Spencer, Tesco
EGMs: Countrywide, NewRiver Retail
Economics: Bank of England interest rate announcement, asset purchase target
Companies paying dividends: 3i Infrastructure (3.38p), Big Yellow (10.4p), Caledonia Investments (13.8p), Croma Security Solutions (0.3p), GlaxoSmithKline (19p), Intermediate Capital (6.9p), Land Securities (7.9p), McKay Securities (2.7p).
Friday 9 January
Trading statements: Hilton Food Group, Laird, XP Power
EGM: Betfair, Prezzo
Economics: Trade figures, Industrial production, Manufacturing output, Construction output, NIESR GDP estimate (December)
Companies paying dividends: Associated British Foods (24.3p), Atkins (WS) (11p), Brown (N) (5.67p), Cable & Wireless Communications (0.836p), Caffyns (6.75p), Creston (1.35p), Cropper (James) (2.2p), Debenhams (2.4p), Electrocomponents (5p), Inland Homes (0.6p), JD Sports fashion (1.15p), Majestic Wine (4.2p), Marks & Spencer (6.4p), Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust (1.75p), Pure Wafer (0.43p), Severn Trent (33.96p), Shanks Group (1.1p), Small Companies Dividend Trust (1.575p), Telford Homes (5.1p), Waterman Group (0.6p), Whitbread Holdings (25.2p), Worldwide Healthcare Trust (6p), XP Power (14p).
Shares going ex-dividend on 8 January
| Company | Dividend (p) | Payment |
| Aberdeen New Dawn IT | 1 | 30 Jan |
| Aberdeen Smaller Companies High Income Trust | 1.65 | 31 Jan |
| Assura Group Ord 10p | 0.5 | 21 Jan |
| Bisichi Mining Ord 10p | 1 | 8 Feb |
| British Land Company Ord 25p | 6.92 | 13 Feb |
| Character Group Ord 5p | 3.95 | 30 Jan |
| Connect Group | 6.6 | 6 Feb |
| Conygar Investment Ord 5p | 1.75 | 11 Feb |
| Dairy Crest Ord 25p | 6 | 29 Jan |
| DotDigital Group Ord 0.5p | 0.2 | 30 Jan |
| Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust | 1.5 | 5 Feb |
| European Inv. Trust Ord 25p | 15 | 30 Jan |
| Hibernia REIT | 0.236 | 28 Jan |
| ICAP Ord 10p | 6.6 | 6 Feb |
| Invesco Perpetual Enhanced In | 1.25 | 30 Jan |
| Investors Capital Tst A Shs | 1.11 | 6 Feb |
| Investors Capital Tst B Shs | 1.11 | 6 Feb |
| ITE Group Ord 1p | 4.9 | 9 Feb |
| Latham (James) Ord 25p | 3.7 | 30 Jan |
| Lowland Investment Co. Ord 25p | 10 | 30 Jan |
| Majedie Investments 10p | 4.5 | 21 Jan |
| Monks Inv Tst Ord 5p | 0.5 | 30 Jan |
| Murray International Trust Ord 25p | 10 | 18 Feb |
| Paragon Group of Companies Ord 10p | 6 | 16 Feb |
| Pinewood Shepperton Ord 10p | 0.7 | 9 Feb |
| Schroder Asia Pacific Fund Ord 10p | 2.75 | 2 feb |
| Smith (WH) Group Ord 20p | 24.2 | 29 Jan |
| Speedy Hire Ord 5p | 0.3 | 30 Jan |
| Standard Life Euro Pvt Eq Trust | 5 | 30 Jan |
| Troy Income & Growth Trust | 0.575 | 30 Jan |
| Workspace Group Ord 100p | 3.89 | 3 Feb |
The ex-dividend date is the first day on which it is no longer possible to buy the shares and qualify for the dividend. Ex-days are almost always a Thursday. The record date is usually one day after the ex-date. The payment day is the day on which the funds are transferred to shareholders.
