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Weekly outlook: FCA gives evidence on Woodford; Polar and Liontrust results

The key events for UK wealth managers for the week starting 24 June

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Monday 24 June

– Polar Capital results

The company has already disclosed that assets under administration rose from £12bn to £13.8bn in the past financial year, a 15% gain, with net inflows adding £0.6bn and markets/performance £1.3bn. Consensus expects pre-tax profit of £68m.

Peel Hunt analyst Stuart Duncan said: “Although these will show a record level of profitability, driven in part by performance fees, conditions more recently have been challenging. As has already been reported in April’s update, H2 was very different from H1 in terms of flow momentum. Whilst H1 saw positive inflows of £0.9bn (and overall AUM growth of 23%), Q3 saw outflows of £0.3bn before some stabilisation in Q4 with outflows of just £0.1bn.”
He added: “Despite this, we continue to believe that the current valuation does not reflect the longer term potential.”

Tuesday 25 June

– FCA gives evidence to the Treasury Committee. The session was already scheduled but is due to focus on the Woodford Equity Income suspension. FCA chief executive Andrew Bailey has already told committee chair Nicky Morgan (pictured) that the regulator is launching an investigation into the fund.

Wednesday 26 June

– Full-year results from transport group Stagecoach

– Trading updates from Tullow Oil and Wood Group

Thursday 27 June

– Liontrust Asset Management results

AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould, said: “The firm has already said that AUM rose 21% to £12.7bn helped by record £1.8bn inflow. Analysts expect pre-tax profit of £29.6m, earnings per share of 47p and total dividend of 24p, versus £27.4m, 42.7p and 21p respectively.”

– US GDP

– US initial jobless claims

Friday 28 June

– UK GDP

– US PCE inflation data

“This is the measure that the Fed looks at and has been stubbornly low – currently 1.6% – hence one of the reasons rate cuts are being priced in,” said Psigma Investment Management head of investment strategy Rory McPherson.

– G20 meeting in Osaka begins

“Markets will be looking at US-China trade talks,” said McPherson.

Mould added: “Remember that after the last G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November 2018, Trump said that we would have a trade deal by March and that he would slap on extra tariffs in Chinese goods otherwise.

“The deal did not materialise, but neither did the tariffs. Financial markets are now hoping that Trump and Xi will reach a deal in Japan, not least because global economic data is looking spotty and central banks are getting edgy about growth.”

 

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