Eircom has set today as a deadline for bids from parties interested in taking over the fixed line and multimedia side of its business. While not binding, the company is confident it will receive bids from up to three of the groups sizing it up. The best guess is that the company will attract offers in the €1.30 to €1.25 per share range.
Monday
Results: Dublin Docklands Development Authority.
A.G.M.: Finmeccanica, Irish Life & Permanent, Lafarge.
Others: Bank holiday in Britain and the United States; ECB president Mr Wim Duisenberg quarterly hearing at European Parliamentary Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee; Deadline set by Eircom for indicative bids for fixed-line business; Launch of UCD Undergraduate School of Business.
Tuesday
Results: Carphone Warehouse, Emap, IWP International, RWE (Q3), Vodafone.
A.G.M.: Adv Medical Solutions, Danone, Deutsche Telekom, Kerry Group, Linde, L'Oreal, New Fulcrum IT (e.g.m.), Swisscom, Trace Computer (e.g.m.).
Meetings: Irish Exporters' Association seminar on intellectual property (Dublin Castle); EU internal market and taxation commissioner Mr Frits Bolkestein addresses Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs; Institute of European Affairs discusses new EU tax strategy; IAPF conference on new accounting standard for retirement benefits (Westbury Hotel, Dublin); Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business discusses motor insurance.
Indicators: EMU current account (Mar); Irish quarterly national household survey (Q1); German wholsale sales (May); Italian consumer prices (May).
Others: Annual report of the Information Commissioner; Food Safety Authority publishes national guidelines on food safety training; ESRI publishes profile on Greater Dublin region.
Wednesday
Results: Aer Rianta, British Land Company, Chloride Group, Electrocomponents, Gameplay (H1), Garban-Intercapital, International Power (Q1), Kunick (H1), Merchant Retail Group, Northern Foods, Peacock Group, Pilkington, Prelude Trust, Sainsbury (J), Scottish & Southern Energy, Shanks Group, Thyssen Krupp (Q2), Trintech (Q1).
A.G.M.: Clinton Cards, Elan Pharmaceuticals, ENI, E-Primefinancial, Hochtief, Independent News & Media, Omnitel.
Meetings: Society of Actuaries seminar on pension protections (Conrad Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: French business confidence (May).
Others: IBEC publishes report on lifelong learning; CPA spring lunch addressed by Sherry FitzGerald economist Ms Maria Finnegan (Conrad Hotel, Dublin).
Thursday
Results: 365 Corporation, Boots, BPB, Caffyns, Eircom, FKI, Lonmin (H1), Man Group, Pennon Group, Plasmon, Securicor (H1), South African Breweries.
A.G.M.: Alpha Airports, Ardagh, Arnotts, Bouygues, Camellia, Collins Stewart Hldgs, Foreign & Col Pacific, France Telecom, Hermes, Linton Park, Rentokil Initial, Taylor Woodrow, Tullow Oil, Wanadoo.
Meetings: EU internal market and tourism ministers meet (Brussels); Irish Software Association annual conference (O'Reilly Hall, UCD).
Indicators: British consumer credit (Apr), consumer confidence (Apr) and house price index (Apr); French unemployment (Apr) and producer prices (Apr); Italian producer prices (Apr).
Others: Irish Insurance Federation annual lunch (Conrad Hotel, Dublin).
Friday
Results: Aukett Group (H1), Fuller (H1), KPN Telecom (Q1), John David Sports, Smith & Turner (H1).
A.G.M.: Bentalls, Credit Suisse, MAN, Transense Technologies, Ulster Television.
Indicators: EMU retail trade (Mar); Irish unemployment (April); British purchasing managers' index (May); French consumer confidence (May) and PMI (May); German PMI (May).
