The scale of Ireland's buoyant economy will come to the fore twice over on Thursday. Bank of Ireland produces interim figures which are expected to show a jump of at least 10 per cent in profit to around €525 million, before allowing for exceptionals such as its DIRT settlement of €33.5 million, with earnings per share jumping 20 per cent to 40 cents per share. The bank's overexposure to the domestic market will prove beneficial at this time.
Elsewhere on Thursday, the Government will publish its budgetary Estimates, the figures showing how it intends to allocate funds for the coming year. With a record surplus, but a rising inflation rate, attention will focus on the size of increases in departmental allocations.
MONDAY
Results: Benetton (Q3), Bulgari (Q3), Carr's Milling Industries, Emap (H1), Henkel (Q3), iTouch (H1), Railtrack (H1), Renold (H1), Thomson-CSF (Q3), Unicredito (Q3), Uniq(H1), WT Foods.
Meetings: Western European Union ministers meet (Marseilles); G10 central bankers meet (Mexico City); Mercer seminar on "Retirement benefits: A New Horizon" (Radisson Hotel, Dublin); Symposium on new eXtensible business reporting language (Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, UCD); Seminar on investment opportunities and special tax incentives in Roscommon (Jurys Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: British producer prices.
Others: ESRI publishes book to mark its 40th anniversary (Hilton Hotel, Dublin).
TUESDAY
Results: Abacus Polar, Azlan Group (H1), Dicom Group (Q1), Energis (H1), Kewill Systems (H1), Northern Foods (H1), Owens Corning (Q3), Oxford Instruments (H1), Regus (H1), Telegate (Q3), Telework Group (H1), Vodafone (H1), Vosper Thorneycroft (H1).
A.G.M.: Smiths Industries.
Meetings: G7 finance ministers meet on Serbia and Balkans (Paris); Seminar on "Corporate Internet and E-mail From Policy to Practice" (Clontarf Castle Hotel, Dublin); Mercer seminar on "Retirement benefits: A New Horizon" (Rochestown Hotel, Cork); Association of Advertisers seminar on "Ensuring Sponsorship Benefits" (Red Cow Moran's Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: British retail prices; US retail sales; Japanese industrial production.
WEDNESDAY
Results: Autonomy (Q3), Axa (Q3), BOC, Cable & Wireless (H1), Commerzbank (Q3), HewlettPackard, Intechnology (H1), Itis Holdings (H1), Lagardere (Q3), Land Securities (Q3), Lufthansa (Q3), Scottish Radio Holdings, Scottish & Southern Energy (H1), Societe Generale (Q3), Suez Lyonnaise (Q3), Veba (Q3), Viridian (H1)
Meetings: US Federal Reserve's Open Markets Committee announces decision on US rates; Marketing Association breakfast on "The Birth of a Brand from Cablelink to NTL" (Dome Restaurant, Dublin); Mercer seminar on "Retirement benefits: A New Horizon" (Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick); Irish Mexico Business Association (Enterprise Ireland, Dublin); Last in Irish Internet Association/IBI Corporate Finance Money Trail seminar series on "Securing Venture capital: the VC Perspective" (Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin); Lessons in Leadership seminar (O'Reilly Hall, UCD).
Indicators: British unemployment and average earnings.
Others: EasyJet floats in London.
THURSDAY
Results: Bank of Ireland (H1), Bayer (Q3), BNP Paribas (Q3), Credit Lyonnais (Q3), Danske Bank (Q3), Glenmorangie (H1), Helical Bar (H1), Nedlloyd (Q3), Patsystems (Q3), Recognition Systems, Telewest (Q3), Young & Co's Brewery (H1).
A.G.M.: Banca Intesa (plus e.g.m.), Barratt Developments, Creston, Sheffield United.
Meetings: ECB governing council meeting; Euro-Mediterranean inter-governmental conference (Marseilles); IBEC conference on "After Technology: the Next Revolution" (Burlington Hotel, Dublin); Mercer seminar on "Retirement benefits: A New Horizon" (Great Southern Hotel, Galway).
Indicators: Irish total external trade (Aug); British retail sales; US inflation.
Others: Government publishes Estimates; FBD/Checkout Annual Supermarket of the Year awards (Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin).
FRIDAY
Results: VA Stahl (H1).
A.G.M.: Manchester United.
Indicators: Irish industrial earnings and hours worked (Mar); EMU inflation; US housing starts.
