The betting is that the three major western central banks will cut rates on successive days when they meet this week. The US Federal Reserve kicks off tomorrow and the main question appears to be whether it will settle for a quarter point cut or go for a more aggressive half point fall to stem the tide of economic gloom.
The Bank of England meets on Wednesday and the ECB governing council a day later. Cuts are less certain with these, especially the notoriously obtuse ECB, but they are still likely.
Monday
Results: Big Yellow Group (H1), Cisco (Q1), KPMG Consulting (Q1), Ryanair (Q2), Smart J, Telecom Plus (H1), Terence Chapman.
A.G.M.: Goodwin, Paterson Zochonis, Redrow.
Meetings: Ecofin meeting (Brussels - to Tues); British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair addresses CBI conference (Birmingham).
Indicators: EMU consumer prices (Oct); US National Association of Purchasing Managers non-manufacturing index (Oct), layoofs (Oct) and Chicago federal (Sep); Japanese leading indicators (Sep); British services index (Oct), industrial production (Sep), manufacturing production (Sep) and M0 data (Oct).
Tuesday
Results: Adidas (Q3), AGF (Q3), Associated British Foods,BP (Q3), British Airways (H1), Jennings Brothers (H1), London Stock Exchange (H1), Marks & Spencer (H1), Qualcomm (Q4), Riversoft (H1), Surfcontrol (Q1), Umeco (H1).
A.G.M.: Henderson Eurotrust, Mucklow Group.
Meetings: US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meets; First Tuesday meeting on European telecoms and opportunities in eastern Europe (Dublinia, Dublin); Nasdaq and US Securities Exchange commission seminar "Listing on NASDAQ - After the Correction" (Goodbody's, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU unemployment rate (Sep), producer prices (Sep), composite index (Oct), services index (Oct), business sentiment (Oct), consumer sentiment (Oct) and overall economic sentiment (Oct); German unemployment (Oct); French consumer confidence (Oct), services (Oct) and quarterly business survey (Q3); Japanese household spending (Sep); Italian services (Oct).
Others: ESRI publishes quarterly survey; Launch of Northern Ireland "Centre for Competitiveness" (W5 conference facility, Belfast).
Wednesday
Results: Aetna (Q3), Becton Dickinson (Q4), British Energy (H1), Canada Life Financial (Q3), Carphone Warehouse (H1), Datalex (Q3), Direct Message, Electrocomponents (H1), Fenner, FirstGroup (H1), Imagination Tech Group (H1), National Australia Bank, NTL (Q3), Peacock Group (H1), Pernod Ricard (Q3), Scottish Power (H1), Shire Pharmaceuticals Group (Q3), Telia (Q3), Volex Group (H1), Wincanton (H1), XKO Group (H1), Yates Group (H1).
A.G.M.: Benchmark Group (e.g.m.), ICM Computer Group, Mission Testing, Regents Inn, Telecom Italia (plus e.g.m.).
Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committee meets (to Thurs); Dublin Chamber of Commerce lunch addressed by Mr Peter Woo, chairman Hong Kong Trade Development Council (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin); Seminar on Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2001 and Trustees (Alexander Hotel, Dublin); Childcare forum for employers (Burlington Hotel, Dublin); Spanish Minister of European Affairs Mr Ramon de Miguel on priorities for Spanish presidency of the EU.
Indicators: EMU business climate indicator (Sep) and retail sales (Aug); US productivity (Q3), unit labour costs (Q3), wholesale inventories (Sep) and consumer credit (Sep); German industry orders (Sep); Japanese bank lending (Oct), wholesale price index (Oct) and money supply (Oct).
Others: ESB national media awards 2001.
Thursday
Results: Aegon (Q3), Aveva Group (H1), Boots (H1), Four Seasons Hotel (Q3), Hilton (Q3), MMT Computing, Riverdeep (Q1), Royal & Sun Alliance (Q3), Schering (Q3), Scottish & Southern Energy (H1), Tate & Lyle (H1), Walt Disney, Whitbread Mann Group (H1).
A.G.M.: Charterhouse Comm, Dresdner Rcm Inc Growth, Hays, Thorpe (FW).
Meetings: ECB governing council meets; RDS Industry & Commerce lunch addressed by Mr Gerry Walsh, chief executive of Bord Gais (RDS; Fourth BioConnect Ireland meeting (Enterprise Ireland).
Indicators: EMU GDP (Q2); US export/import prices (Oct); German consumer prices (Oct), retail sales (Sep), industrial production (Sep) and manufacturing production (Sep).
Friday
Results: Regus (Q3), Sandvik (Q3).
Meetings: World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting (Doha); Confernce on business excellence featuring winners of European business excellence awards (Dublin Castle).
Indicators: Irish consumer prices (Oct) and industrial production (Sep); US producer prices (Oct) and Michigan Sentiment Survey (Nov); Japanese household spending (Aug).
Others: Irish Software Association 2001 Annual Industry Awards announced; The Irish Times Cedar awards.
