Good times for construction in Ireland and the US will propel CRH to healthy full-year figures tomorrow. Analysts are looking for figures in the €540E570 million (£425-£450 million) range, before allowing for an exceptional gain for the sale of the Keyline business in Britain. This would signal a rise of up to 40 per cent on last year. With a new National Development Plan at home and increased infrastructural spending in the US, the outlook seems sound for the group in the year ahead.
Jefferson Smurfit: Future prospects rather than a fall in profits are likely to interest the markets when Jefferson Smurfit reports annual figures tomorrow. Forecasts vary widely but all foresee substantial slippage from last years €217 million on the back of weaker product prices. Recent price increases provide the foundation of hopes for a rosier future for the group in a very cyclical sector.
Monday
Results: Billiton (H1), British Polythene, Bunzl, Burmah Castrol, DaimlerChrysler, Eidos (Q3), Exchange Holdings, HSBC Holdings, Inch Kenneth Kajang, Isotron, NetCom, Ocean Group, Perkins Food, Repsol-YPF, Ricardo (H1), Terra Networks, Wembley.
A.G.M.: Orbis, Tarpan.
Meetings: EU finance ministers (Brussels); OECD conference on food safety aspects of biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (Edinburgh to Wed).
Indicators: British GDP (Q4) and M0 money supply (Feb); US personal income (Jan); German consumer prices (Feb); Japanese construction orders (Jan) and housing starts (Jan).
Others: CeBit 2000 international computer trade fair (Hanover to Wed); Bank for International Settlements quarterly report; European Commission decision expected on merger of Vodafone Airtouch and Mannesmann; National Microelectronics Research Centre annual report.
Tuesday
Results: City Technology Holdings (H1), CRH, Domestic & General Group (H1), Domnick Hunter, Green Property, Guardian IT, Legal & General, London Bridge Software, MAN (H1), Mayflower, Nycomed Amersham, Oneview.net (H1), Oxford Asymmetry, Pifco Holdings (H1), Quantica, Jeffer- son Smurfit, Tamro, Telefonica, Transport Development, Trintech (Q4), Ultimate Leisure Group (H1), William Baird, Whatman.
A.G.M.: National Lottery, Ormonde Mining.
Meetings: WTO's ruling general council meets; IBEC/IBM breakfast on "Business and Educational Partnerships" addressed by Prof Rosabeth Moss Kanter (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU consumer prices (Jan) and trade balance (Nov/Dec); US consumer confidence (Feb) and Chicago PMI (Feb); Japanese unemployment (Jan); French housing starts (Jan) and unemployment (Jan); Italian EU trade (Dec) and non-EU trade (Jan).
Wednesday
Results: BBA Group, France Telecom, Gallaher, ICM Computer Group (H1), Lasmo, Lilleshall, Linx Printing (H1), NSB Retail Systems, Rentokil Initial, Alexander Russell, Sun Life & Provincial, Wilson Bowden, Britannic.
Meetings: Merrion Capital conference on "Internet Strategies of Irish plcs" in Dublin; Foresight Studies Group business breakfast (TCD).
Indicators: EMU employment (Jan) and purchasing managers' index (Feb); British PMI manufacturing (Feb) and CBI distributive trades survey (Feb); US NAPM (Feb) and construction spending (Jan); French producer prices (Jan).
Others:
Thursday
Results: Adidas Salomon, Bowthorpe, Davis Service Group, Dawson International, DFDS, Enterprise Oil, Heineken, Marshalls, McBride (H1), Norwich Union, PowerGen, Regent Inns (H1), RJB Mining, Rolls-Royce, Royal & Sun Alliance, SEB, Thomson Travel, Toad.
A.G.M.: Athlone Extrusions, Bensons Crisps.
Meetings: European Central Bank council meeting (Frankfurt).
Indicators: Irish total external trade (Oct), Exchequer borrowing requirement (Feb) and credit figures (Jan); British official reserves (Feb); US leading indicators (Jan) and new home sales (Jan); French consumer confidence (Feb) and household survey (Feb); Italian consumer prices (Feb).
Friday
Results: British Aerospace, T Clarke, Electrabel, Greggs, Limelight Group, Tractabel.
A.G.M.: Ashanti Goldfields (e.g.m.).
Indicators: Irish unemployment (Feb); US employment (Feb) Michigan sentiment survey (Feb) and factory orders (Jan); Italian producer prices (Jan).
