Continuing the big banking reporting theme, State-owned RBS (LON:RBS) third quarter numbers are out on Friday.
And all the chatter ahead of the results on Thursday centres on the size of the pot the bank has set aside for potential fines on manipulating currency markets.
RBS, 80% owned by the UK taxpayer, is along with other big high Street names in in talks with the FCA over allegations of the $5 trillion-a-day rigging of global markets.
It comes after last month, RBS said it expects full-year impairments to be much lower than the £1bn hit for which the company had been bracing itself.
The lender said the third quarter had seen a continued improvement in economic conditions and asset prices in its key markets, including Ireland, where the Ulster Bank has been hamstrung by the collapse of the property market.
The bank’s Capital Resolution division (RCR), which is overseeing the rundown of some £38bn of assets, put in a strong performance in the third quarter, and the number crunchers predict that RCR will reduce its net impairment provision by around £0.5bn when the third quarter figures come out.
Significant announcements expected:
Companies: Interims: International Consolidated Airlines Group (LON:IAG), Royal Bank of Scotland Group (LON:RBS), 1Spatial (LON:SPA). Trading statements: Berendsen (LON:BRSN), Direct Line (LON:DLG), Regus (LON:RGU), Weir Group (LON:WEIR),
Economic: EU: Unemployment rate. US: Personal income. Chicago PMI. Consumer sentiment.