It seems like interest rates are the constant focus of attention these days. Despite the upbeat mood in the US, the odds are still in favour of a marginal tightening of rates in the euro zone when the European Central Bank meets on Thursday.
Marks & Spencer: M&S interims tomorrow are expected to show continued misery at the group, with sales over the first six months down 7.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis and off nearly 12 per cent in the crucial clothing sector, despite what are likely to be reasonable returns from the group's Irish interests.
A profit warning last month braced analysts for pre-tax profits of £185£195 million sterling (€289305 million). But investors will want to know if things have improved and how expensive the company's promotional campaign will prove to be.
Monday
Results: Ameritech, BAA (H1), Cigna (Q3), Terence Chapman Group, Wyndeham Press Group.
A.G.M.: Pakhoed (e.g.m.), Paterson Zochonis, Sanctuary Group (e.g.m.).
Meetings: ICOS annual conference (Burlington Hotel, Dublin to Tues); Confederation of British Industry annual conference (Birmingham to Tues); Marketing Institute deebate on sponsorship in media the digital future (Jurys Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: Irish NCB PMI (Oct); British purchasing managers' index (Oct); US construction spending (Sep), NAPM (Sep) and motor vehicles (Sep).
Others: ESB National Media Awards (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin); Publication of SFA employment law guidelines.
Tuesday
Results: Celsis International (H1), Euro Disney, Fred Cooper, GWR Group (H1), Hugo Boss (Q3), Marks & Spencer (H1), MediaOne (Q3), Qualcomm, Shanks (H1), Thames Water (H1).
Meetings: AIB Capital Markets/McCann Fitzgerald conference on state enterprises moving to the private sector (Dublin Castle); Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business meets on proposed Insurance Bill; Conference on forestry investment (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: Irish employment and earnings in banks (Jun); British official reserves (Oct); US personal income/spending (Oct); German PMI (Oct); French PMI (Oct) and producer prices (Sep); Italian producer prices (Sep) and PMI (Oct).
Wednesday
Results: ActionComputer, Den Norske Bank (Q3), Jersey Phoenix Trust (H1), KLM (H1), Pressac, Rockwell Int'l, Sandvik (Q3), Scottish Power (H1), Siemens, Statoil (Q3), United Healthcare (Q3), Viag (Q3).
Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committee meeting (to Thurs); Bank of France monetary policy council; Presentation by Minister for Public Enterprise Ms O'Rourke to Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport on aviation.
Indicators: Irish construction employment (Sep); US leading indicators (Sep), NAPM non-manufacturing (Sep) and US Beige Book.
Thursday
Results: Becton Dickinson, Boots (H1), Finvest (Q3), Man (ED&F) (H1), Radstone Technology (H1), Railtrack Group (H1), Royal Dutch/Shell (Q3), Royal & Sun Alliance (Q3) Securitas (Q3), Skanska (Q3), Tate & Lyle, Thomson (Q3), Wendy's (Q3), Yates Brothers Wine Lodges (H1).
A.G.M.: City of London, Community Hospitals, Goodwin, Navan Resources (e.g.m.), Racal (e.g.m.).
Meetings: European Central Bank governing council meets; Swiss Re Life & Health conference on survey of financial services industry (Alexander Hotel, Dublin); Aer Rianta's Mr John Burke addresses Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport.
Indicators: EMU GDP (Q2) and M1 (Sep); US housing permits/completions (Sep); German manufacturing new orders (Sep).
Others: Canada Life IPO; European Commission holds hearing on "Electronic Commerce: Jurisdiction and Applicable Law" (Brussels to Fri); Guinness Living Dublin awards (Mansion House, Dublin).
Friday
Results: Hoechst (Q3), Unilever (Q3).
Meetings: Arthur Cox conference on "Food Regulation Counting the Cost" (Westbury Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: Irish industrial production (Jun) and unemployment (Oct); British industrial production (Sep), manufacturing output (Sep) and CBI distributive trades survey (Oct); US unemployment (Oct), average hourly earnings (Oct), average working week (Oct) and consumer credit (Sep).
