Friday preview: Investors set for quieter end to the week

(Sharecast News) - Friday will mark a quieter end to a busy week that saw the release of earnings from four of the 'Magnificent Seven' in the US and the Federal Reserve's first policy announcement of 2026. On the UK corporate front, investors will turn their attention to third-quarter numbers from Airtel Africa.

In Europe, full-year results are due from Spain's Caixabank, while SKF will publish a quarterly report.

Across the pond, oil giants ExxonMobil and Chevron are among those slated to report, along with American Express, Verizon and Colgate-Palmolive.

Jefferies, which rates Chevron at 'buy', expects the company to post adjusted fourth-quarter earnings per share of around $1.45, which is about 2% higher than consensus. The bank said it expects investors to focus on developments in Venezuela, production at Tengizchevroil, and an El Segundo fire update.

"We continue to highlight Chevron's free cash flow growth to 2030, which we see as conservative," said Jefferies.

After the close of US markets on Thursday, first-quarter results from Apple will be released.

Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets, said Apple's earnings will undoubtedly centre around iPhone sales given their central position for the company's revenues.

"Nonetheless, the high-margin services segment looks to be a major area of earnings growth, with products such as App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, Apple TV+, and Apple Fitness+ providing recurring revenues for the firm," he said.

"Many have claimed that Apple have lagged in their AI focus compared with the rest of the Mag7, meaning that investors will be watching closely for further evidence that the firm will further expand their offering for the upcoming iPhone model."

Friday January 30

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Ecora Royalties , Facilities by ADF, Foresight Group Holdings Limited NPV, NewRiver REIT, ProVen Growth & Income VCT, ProVen VCT, SSE, Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

CT Private Equity Trust, Value and Indexed Property Income Trust

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chicago PMI (US) (14:45)

GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)

Import Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Retail Sales (GER) (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55)

Q3

Airtel Africa

GMS

Caspian Sunrise , Metals one

AGMS

Avon Technologies , Essensys

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Credit (09:30)

M4 Money Supply (09:30)

Mortgage Approvals (09:30)

Nationwide House Price Index (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AB Dynamics, BP 8% Cum 1st Prf, BP 9% 2nd Prf, Cardiff Property, Diploma, DotDigital Group, Lowland Investment Co, NewRiver REIT, S and U 31.5% Prf. Cum. Prf 12.5P, Smart (J) & Co., The Character Group, Topps Tiles, Ultimate Products

Q1

Airtel Africa