Week Ahead: 2-6 December

Monday 2 December

Interims: ReNeuron, Great Eastern Energy Corporation, WYG

Finals: Andor Technology, Innovation

AGM: Pure Circle

EGMs: Abbey Protection, City of London, Primary Health Properties, Quindell Portfolio

Economics: Hometrack housing survey, Purchasing managers' index - manufacturing, Halifax house price data

Companies paying dividends: BAE Systems (8p), Brightside (0.22p), Datatec (4.9p), NWF (3.8p), Origin Enterprises (14.5p), Wolseley (44p)

Tuesday 3 December

Interims: API, Betfair, Daisy, Greene King, Micro Focus International, Northgate, Park, Sweett, Vianet

Finals: Gooch & Housego, Infrastrata, ITE

AGM: Prime Focus London

Economics: British Retail Consortium - like-for-like sales data (November), Purchasing managers' index - construction

Wednesday 4 December

Interims: Consort Medical, International Greetings, Polar Capital, Science in Sport

Finals: Brewin Dolphin, The Local Shopping REIT, Numis Corporation, Sage

Trading statements: Standard Chartered, Tesco

AGMs: Asos, Beacon Hill Resources, Churchill Mining, Conexion Media, Frontier IP, GCM Resources, New World Resources

EGMs: Bumi, Hibu

Economics: British Retail Consortium shop price index, Purchasing managers' index - services, Official reserves

Companies paying dividends: BlackRock North American Income Trust (1p), Jupiter Primadonna Growth Trust (22.75p), Regenersis (1.83p)

Asian-focused lender Standard Chartered's (STAN) trading update on Wednesday is likely to reveal a continuation of the broadly positive trends seen in last month's third-quarter results. They reported mid-single digit percentage income growth in both the bank's consumer and wholesale divisions. Overall, credit quality remains robust, too, with the third-quarter impairment run rate below that seen in the first half. But the statement did flag that the recent depreciation of a number of emerging market currencies would mean a $70m (£44m) income hit for the full-year.

Looking forward, broker Investec Securities anticipates growth to pick up strongly and says that, as product specific headwinds abate, the emerging 2014 EPS consensus estimate of around 238¢ a share looks "wildly inaccurate". Indeed, it's forecasting EPS of 198.6¢ for end-2013, but rising by a hefty 29 per cent during 2014 to 256.1¢. Meanwhile, with a Basel III basis capital ratio of 10.6 per cent, Standard is one of the best capitalised lenders around. The shares, at 1,456p, and trading on 1.45 times Investec's full-year forecast for net tangible assets, aren't too pricey, either - that's in line with Lloyd's rating, which has nothing like Standard's emerging markets-driven growth profile. There's a reasonably tasty 3.8 per cent prospective yield, too. On that basis, we stand by out buy tip (1,440p, 11 July 2013). Buy.

Thursday 5 December

Interims: Mulberry, Smith (DS)

Finals: CareTech, OMG

Trading statements: Aer Lingus, easyJet

AGMs: Axa Property, Baobab Resources, CVS, Egdon Resources, Goldplat, Plexus, Rambler Metals & Mining, SureTrack Monitoring

Economics: Bank of England interest rate announcement, Bank of England asset purchase target, new car registrations, UK chancellor's autumn statement

Companies paying dividends: Allocate Software (1.32p), GLI Finance (1.25p), Ingenious Entertainment VCT1 (0.3371p), Ingenious Entertainment VCT2 (0.3371p), Third Party Offshore Investors (81p)

There was nothing in the recent update from DS Smith (SMDS) to alter the City's perception of this highly-regarded packaging company. It has been winning market share and driving volume growth in excess of internal targets for GDP plus 1 per cent, which means that half-year results on Thursday should match forecasts. Management expects to hit full-year targets, too, and earnings upgrades for the following year look increasingly likely.

Broker Investec Securities has already nudged up its EPS estimates for the 2014 calendar year to 22.8p, but admits that this may prove conservative given the positive impact of rising demand and high utilisation on volumes. Indeed, the SCA business, bought last year for £1.3bn, is doing especially well and is generating significant benefits. Moreover, these improvements are easily offsetting higher paper costs, which will be passed on - but with the usual four-month lag. At 299p, DS Smith's shares are up 79 per cent since our buy tip (167p, 23 Feb 2012), yet they trade on little more than 13 times forecast earnings. That suggests there's more to go for - especially given ongoing industry consolidation and significant exposure to a recovery in Europe. Buy.

Friday 6 December

Interim: Berkeley

Trading statements: Air Partner, SThree

AGMs: Associated British Foods, Capital Lease Aviation, ISG, James Halstead

EGM: Shore Capital

Economics: Bank of England/GfK inflation - next 12 months

Companies paying dividends: Aberdeen Asian Smaller Companies (10p), Aberdeen Asian Smaller Companies - special (3p), Amati VCT (2p), Ashmore (11.75p), Balfour Beatty (5.6p), British Sky Broadcasting (19p), Centaur Media (1.575p), Downing Absolute Income VCT1 (2p), Elderstreet VCT (2p), Fidelity Asian Values (1.1p), Genus (11.1p), Grafenia (0.33p), James Halstead (6p), Journey (1.25p), JPM Smaller Companies IT (9.5p), Laird (4.1p), Manchester & London Investment Trust (8.25p), Marshalls (1.75p), Matchtech (12.85p), Maven Income & Growth VCT (2.2p), Pace (1.192p), SThree (4.7p), Stobart (2p), The Mission Marketing (0.25p), William Hill (3.7p)

Berkeley (BKG) releases half-year figures on Friday and the London and south east centred housebuilder is expected to deliver another robust performance. In a trading statement last month, the group confirmed that forward sales had exceeded £1.5bn and - to cope with the increased demand - it has added three sites to its land bank. That included a 10-acre site in White City and a development in Battersea with detailed planning consent for 456 apartments. A further two sites have also been secured on conditional terms, leaving the group well-placed to grow the future potential gross margin in the land bank. Management also confirmed that, after paying a 59p a share dividend in September, the group remains on target to pay a further 360p a share by September 2015. Numis Securities is forecasting full-year pre-tax profit of £374m and EPS of 212.7p from £253m and 142.9p in 2013). At 2,393p, the shares have advanced strongly since our buy tip (1,691p, 13 Dec 2012) and now trade on a punchy 1.5 times net tangible assets. But given the growth profile, the hefty dividend, and pent-up demand for properties in London, we remain buyers.

Shares going ex-dividend on 4 December

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 Wednesday. The record date is usually two days after the ex-date. The payment day is the day on which the funds are transferred to shareholders.