B of I reports figures as Elan goes to court

Results from index heavyweight Bank of Ireland will be a central feature of the week.

While surprises are not on the agenda when it reports full-year figures on Thursday, analysts will be looking for news of current trading, especially in the British operations which have been the focus of some attention recently both by the company and the market. National Irish Bank parent National Australia Bank also presents figures, although in this case, they cover just the first three months of its year. Also reporting this week is Galen Pharmaceuticals, which is expected to follow the trend of bullish first-quarter figures in its release on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Elan goes to court on Thursday in the US to force through its agreement to sell two drugs King Pharmaceuticals for $850 million as part of its restructuring package. King backed out of the sale after the US Federal Trade Commission announced an inquiry into patent issues on one of the drugs. That part of the FTC inquiry was dropped last week but King is still refusing to complete the deal.

Monday

Results: Benetton (Q1), Diploma (H1), Enel (Q3), Exel (Q1), Iberia (Q1), Juventus (Q3), KPN (Q1), Kvaerner (Q1), Pirelli (Q1), Robert Wiseman Dairies, Weight Watchers (Q1), Windsor (H1).

A.G.M.: Anite (e.g.m.), Benetton (plus e.g.m.), BsoftB (e.g.m.), Centrica, Fulmar, Merchants, Swiss Re, Universe Group.

Meetings: Euro zone finance ministers meet ECB president Mr Wim Duisenberg (Brussels - to Tues); Ireland Travel Trade Workshop (Killarney - to Tues); Group of 10 meet at bank of International Settlements (Basel); 4th Eu SpRIG Annual Conference on "Building Better Business Spreadsheets.

Indicators: Irish industrial production (Mar); British producer prices (Apr) and trade balance (Mar).

Others: Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, launches Ireland's first publication of traffic management guidelines.

Tuesday

Results: Abacus Group (H1), Air France, Axa (Q1), Banca Intesa (Q1), BG Group (Q1), BSkyB (Q3), Degussa (Q1), Depfa Bank (Q1), El Paso (Q1), Fiat (Q1), Hochtief (Q1), Hunter Douglas (Q1), International Power (Q1), Kindred Healthcare (Q1), MAN (Q1), Mediaset (Q1), Powderject Pharmaceuticals, SAS (Q1), Schering Plough (Q1), Telefónica (Q1), T-Online International (Q1), Topps Tiles, UBS (Q1), Wal Mart Stores (Q1).

A.G.M.: Acambis, Ahold, Fitzhardinge, Keller, Lagardere, Macfarlane, Next, Ottakar's, SEB, Slough Estates, Sprint.

Meetings: Ecofin meeting (Brussels); IBEC annual energy conference (Great Southern Hotel, Dublin Airport); Aer Lingus chief executive Mr Willie Walsh addresses Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants (Burlington Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: US international trade (Mar); German ZEW economic sentiment (May).

Others: Esat BT Golden Spider Awards; International Energy Agency publishes monthly oil report.

Wednesday

Results: Alitalia (Q1), Alstom, Altadis (Q1), Bulgari (Q1), Computer Associates (Q1), Crédit Lyonnais (Q1), DeVere (H1), Dimension Data (H1), Ericsson (Q1), First Group, Galen (H1), Intuit (Q3), Leeds Group (H1), Lufthansa (Q1), Mobilcom (Q1), National Australia Bank (Q1), National Irish Bank (Q1), RWE (Q1), Sothebys (Q1), Tiscali (Q1), UPC (Q1).

A.G.M.: Abbot, BNP Paribas, Bunzl, Candover, Carillion, Churchill China, CLS Holdings, JC Decaux, Derwent Valley, Deutsche Börse, Galen, Gallaher, Imprint Search & Selection, Interserve, National Express, Nichols, Rexel, Royal & Sun Alliance, Swallow Field, Swan Hill, Swisscom, Taylor Nelson Sofres, TT Electronics.

Meetings: US Securities and Exchange Commission holds roundtable discussions on hedge funds (Washington - to Thurs).

Indicators: US retail sales (Apr) and import/export prices (Apr); British unemployment (Apr), average earnings (Mar) and Bank of England quarterly inflation report (Q1).

Thursday

Results: Avon Rubber (H1), Bank of Ireland, BOC Group (H1), Brown (N), Capital Radio (H1), Dell Computer (Q1), Deutsche Telekom (Q1), E.ON (Q1), Fulcrum Pharma (H1), ING (Q1), Linde (Q1), London Stock Exchange, Safeway, Société Générale (Q1), Thyssen Krupp (Q2), Viridian.

A.G.M.: Audi, Balfour Beatty, BMW, British Polythene, Brixton, Chelsfield, Eurotunnel, Future Network, GKN, Guinness Peat (e.g.m.), Hanson, HypoVereinsbank, Inchcape, Intertek Testing, Logica CMG, LVMH, MFI Furniture, North Midland Construction, Peel Hotels, Publicis, Quarto Group, Rexam, St James's Place, Selfridges, Thales, United Business Media.

Meetings: American Chamber of Commerce Ireland/IDA Ireland strategic competitive conference (Citywest Conference Centre, Dublin).

Indicators: Euro zone GDP (Q1); US producer prices (Apr), business inventories (Mar), industrial production (Apr) and NY Federal manufacturing survey (May); Italian GDP (Q1)

Others: Elan goes to court in dispute with King Pharmaceuticals over validity of sale of Sonata and Skelaxin drugs for $850 million; IBEC publishes strategy report "A Business Vision for Ireland"; European Central Bank publishes monthly report; Tánaiste Ms Harney presents Live Wire Young Business Start Up Awards 2003 (Croke Park).

Friday

Results: 3i Group, Allianz (Q1), Cambridge Antibody Technology (H1), Scor (Q1).

A.G.M.: ABB, Galahad Capital, Hilton, Host Europe, Itouch, Mallett, Michelin, Old Mutual, P&O, Schneider Electronic.

Meetings: G8 finance ministers meet to prepare for the June summit (Deauville); Annual conference of Certified Public Accountants on "Effective Governance: Rebuilding Trust in the Business World"; LIMRA seminar on "Investor Psychology - Can You Leave a Bear Behind" (Herbert Park Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: Euro-zone consumer prices (Apr); US Michigan sentiment survey (May), consumer price index (Apr), housing starts (Apr) and real earnings (Apr).

Others: The Irish ProShare Association annual awards and dinner (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin).