After a weekend of saturation coverage on the issue of the possible impeachment of US President Bill Clinton, the Lewinsky scandal is likely to be the primary factor in the direction of the Dow, and therefore most markets, in the early part of the week. While US traders seemed to be discounting its impact at the end of last week, it remains to be seen whether the worst of the uncertainty surrounding the US president's future is over or not.
Elsewhere, the difficulties of the Japanese economy are not likely to disappear, while in the Russian crisis the worst seems to have passed, for the moment at least, with the confirmation of a new premier.
Regardless, it seems unlikely that the Irish market will find a firm direction in the immediate future.
Monday
Results: Allied Leisure, ASW Holdings (H1), Britannia (H1), City Technology, Dowding & Mills, European Leisure, Fairley Group (H1), Goodhead Group, Haden MacLellan (H1), Hays, Morgan Crucible Co (H1), NMT Group (H1), Polypipe, Regent Inns, Reunion Mining (H1), Sharpe & Fisher (H1), Sinclair Montrose (H1), Swan Hill Group (H1), Thomson Travel (H1), T&S (H1), Travis Perkins (H1), Ul- ster TV (H1), Whittard of Chelsea.
A.G.M.: Availeon (e.g.m.), Tandem.
Meetings: G-7 officials hold meeting on Russia's financial crisis.
Indicators: Irish non-EU trade (Jul); British producer prices (Aug) and manufacturing output (Aug); US Atlanta Federal Index (Aug).
Others: Tanaiste Mary Harney holds crunch meeting with Fruit of the Loom boss Bill Farley; British TUC annual conference (Blackpool to Thurs).
Tuesday
Results: Alumasc, Britax (H1), Capital Corporation (H1), Capital Industries (H1), Compel Group, Danone (H1), Delta (H1), Dixon Motors (H1), Dorling Kindersley, DRS Data & Research (H1), Freeport Leisure, Hunting (H1), Independent Radio Group (H1), Michelin (H1), Mithras Inv Trust (H1), A&J Mucklow Group, Redrow Group, Renault (H1), Servomex (H1), TT Group (H1), United Overseas (H1), JD Wetherspoon.
A.G.M.: Asda Group, British Bloodstock, Industrial Control, IWP International, Kingfisher Leisure, Misys, Norbain, Second London AM Trust, Wren.
Meetings: SIMI and the SFA give evidence to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business; EU transport ministers (Bregenz).
Indicators: Irish wholesale price index (Aug); British retail prices (Aug); US retail sales (Aug) and import/export prices (Aug).
Wednesday
Results: Abbott Mead Vickers (H1), Alliance Unichem (H1), Ash & Lacy (H1), Charles Baynes (H1), BG (H1), Britannic Assurance (H1), Credit Agricole (H1), Cussins Property (H1), Dairy Farm International (H1), Fulmar (H1), Hong Kong Land (H1), Kingfisher (H1), Lopex (H1), Mandarin Oriental (H1), Matthews (Bernard) (H1), Meristem (H1), PTS Group (H1), Ring, Ruberoid (H1), Spring Ram Corp (H1), Taylor & Francis (H1), Tepnel Life Sciences, FW Thorpe, Tilbury Douglas (H1), Towry Law, Verity Group.
A.G.M.: BLP Group (e.g.m.), Conroy Diamonds, Copyright Promotions, Golden Hope Plant, Somerfield, Stewart & Wight, VDC.
Indicators: British consumer spending (Aug), retail sales (Aug), average earnings (Jun), wage costs (Q2) and claimant count (Aug); US business inventories (Jul), capacity utilisation (Aug) and industrial production (Aug); Japanese industrial production (Jul).
Others: Central Bank publishes autumn bulletin; Launch of 1998 Compaq Ireland Trade Awards.
Thursday
Results: Alcatel (H1), Bovis Homes Group (H1), British Aerospace (H1), Cordiant Communications (H1), Credit Lyonnais (H1), Dolphon Packaging (H1), Folkes Group (H1), France Telecom (H1), Irish Life (H1), Jardine Matheson (H1), Jardine Strategic (H1), Kwik-Fit Holdings (H1), Leeds Sporting, MDIS (H1), Morrison (W) Supermarkets (H1), Nestle (H1), Next (H1), Princedale Group (H1), RMC (H1), S&U (H1), TOR IT, Trinity (H1), Wolstenholme Rink (H1).
A.G.M.: Belgo (e.g.m.), Brown & Jackson (e.g.m.), Mitie Group, Saville Gordon Estates, Stanley Lei- sure, Symonds.
Meetings: Bundesbank Council; IRTC conference on broadcasting (Davenport Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: US consumer prices (Aug), international trade (Jul), Philadelphia Federal Index (Sep), real earnings (Aug); Japanese trade (Jul).
Others: UNCTAD issues annual trade and development report (Geneva).
Friday
Results: Blue Circle Industries (H1).
A.G.M.: Coral Products, Natwest Enterprise, Ronson (e.g.m.), Vibroplant.
Indicators: British building society figures (Aug), motor vehicle production (Aug) and monetary data (Aug); US housing starts (Aug), Michigan Sentiment Survey (Sep); German ifo index (aug);
Others: Entrepreneur of the Year award (Berkekely Court Hotel, Dublin).
