Following the year-end rate cut in Europe, meetings this week of the European Central bank's governing council and the bank of England's monetary policy committee are expected to be non-events. Attention instead will focus on job numbers from both the United States and Ireland, both of which are out on Friday.
On the corporate front, there will be interim figures from Jurys Doyle and Abbey, which should give an indication on the state of the tourism and building industries at the end of last year. Iona Technologies and clinical trials group Icon also report interim data.
In Britain, speculation over the state of the retail sector over Christmas will finally be put to rest with a number of high street groups issue festive trading updates. Airlines, too, will reveal how they fare against Ryanair which last week announced a 64 per cent rise in passenger numbers.
Monday
Indicators: Euro-zone composite index (Dec) and purchasing managers' index (PMI) on services (Dec); US Institute of Supply Management non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index (Dec); British M0 data (Dec) and PMI services (Dec); Japanese new car sales (Dec); Italian PMI services (Dec); French PMI services (Dec); German PMI services (Dec).
Others: Public holiday in parts of Europe; Bord Fáilte, Tourism Ireland and Dublin Tourism will announce details of their marketing plans for 2003 to local tourism operators and trade representatives (Conrad Hotel, Dublin); Trial due to open into near-collapse of Crédit Lyonnais in the early 1990s, with Bank of France governor Mr Jean-Claude Trichet one of nine people charged; Traffic figures from British Airways and KLM.
Tuesday
Results: Icon (Q2), Jurys Doyle Hotels (H1), Parkdean Holidays.
A.G.M.: Carr's Milling Industries, Transware (e.g.m.).
Indicators: Euro-zone business climate (Dec), business sentiment (Dec), consumer sentiment (Dec), economic sentiment (Dec) and producer prices (Nov); US factory orders (Nov); German retail sales (Nov); French consumer confidence (Dec).
Others: US President George W. Bush to unveil economic stimulus measures; German economic research institute (DIW) publishes economic forecast for 2003/04; Traffic figures from EasyJet.
Wednesday
Results: Alcoa, Iona Technologies (H1), Reg Vardy (H1), Sodexho (Q1), SunTrust Banks (Q3), Topps (Q3).
A.G.M.: Gleeson.
Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committee meets (to Thurs).
Indicators: Euro-zone retail sales (Oct); Irish vehicle licensing (Nov).
Others: Trading statement from Next; International Monetary Fund board set to review Argentine economy's case for aid.
Thursday
Results: Abbey (H1), Accenture (Q1), Dixons Group (H1), Northgate (H1), Seagate Technologies (Q3), Signet Group (Q3).
Meetings: European Central Bank governing council meets on interest rates.
Indicators: Euro-zone GDP (Q3) and forecasts for Q4 and Q1; Irish balance of international payments (Q3); US wholesale inventories (Nov), German unemployment (Dec); Japanese leading indicators (Nov) and coincidental indicators (Nov).
Others: Bank of England monetary policy committee announces decision on interest rates.
Friday
Results: State Street.
A.G.M.: Bellway, Get Group.
Indicators: Irish unemployment (Dec) and industrial production (Nov); US unemployment (Dec), average earnings (Dec) and average working week (Dec); British trade figures (Nov); German current account (Nov), industrial orders (Nov) and imports/exports (Nov).
