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Shell, Next and Virgin Money earnings on Thursday plus AGMs

Last updated: 00:30 04 May 2023 EDT, First published: 11:00 03 May 2023 EDT

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Ex-dividend to reduce FTSE 100 by: 8.68

Two days after its big local rival, Shell PLC (LSE:SHEL, NYSE:SHEL) reports but with more confidence among analysts that it has scope to up its shareholder returns.

It is awash with cash and could easily afford a 25% hike in the dividend.

In the retail sector, Next PLC (LSE:NXT) is unlikely to be waving the wonga about, especially with sales expected to be down in the past quarter and the one after.

With the blue-chip lenders having said their piece, challenger bank Virgin Money UK PLC (LSE:VMUK) gets a chance to prove the doubters wrong, with its shares the worst performing of the UK-focused FTSE 350 banks in the year to date.

Yet the first-quarter trading statement in February showed "solid trends", analysts said, with its shares seen as among those trading at a discount to the wider sector. analysts.

It is also a busy day for AGMs, with Rio Tinto, Aviva, ITV and Glanbia just a few of the companies holding meetings.

Significant announcements

Trading updates: Derwent London PLC (AIM:DLN), Hargreaves Lansdown PLC (LSE:HL.), Hiscox, IMI, Mondi PLC (LSE:MNDI), Morgan Sindall Group PLC (LSE:MGNS), Next PLC (LSE:NXT), Endeavour Mining PLC (LSE:EDV, TSX:EDV, OTCQX:EDVMF), Rathbones Group PLC (LSE:RAT, OTC:RTBBF), Shell PLC (LSE:SHEL, NYSE:SHEL), Travis Perkins (LSE:TPK) PLC

Interims: Virgin Money UK PLC (LSE:VMUK)

Finals: Trainline PLC (LSE:TRN)

US earnings: Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL), Moderna Inc, Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) A/S, Shopify Inc (TSX:SH., NYSE:SHOP), Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), Block Inc (NYSE:SQ), Lemonade Inc

AGMs: AIB Group PLC (LSE:AIBG), Allianz Technology Trust PLC (LSE:ATT), Aviva PLC (LSE:AV.), BiVictriX Therapeutics PLC (AIM:BVX, OTC:BVTXF), Domino's Pizza Group PLC, Glanbia PLC (LSE:GLB), Grafton Group PLC (ISE:GFTU), Hammerson PLC (LSE:HMSO), Howden, Joinery Group PLC, IMI PLC (LSE:IMI), Indivior PLC (LSE:INDV), ITV PLC (LSE:ITV), LungLife AI Inc (AIM:LLAI), Mincon Group PLC (AIM:MCON), Mondi PLC (LSE:MNDI), Moneysupermarket.com (LSE:MONY) PLC, Morgan Sindall Group PLC (LSE:MGNS), Personal Group Holdings PLC (AIM:PGH), Phoenix Group Holdings PLC (LSE:PHNX), Rathbones Group PLC (LSE:RAT, OTC:RTBBF), Rio Tinto PLC (LSE:RIO), Sig PLC, Ten Entertainment Group PLC (LSE:TEG), Travis Perkins (LSE:TPK) PLC, Witan Investment Trust plc (LSE:WTAN)

Economic announcements: Consumer Credit (UK), M4 Money Supply (UK), Mortgage Approvals (UK), PMI Composite (UK), PMI Construction (UK), PMI Services (UK), Balance of Trade (US), Continuing Claims (US), Initial Jobless Claims (US)

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