Watching the US consumer

Financial markets will focus in the coming week on whether the consumer is still spending and on the strength of industrial output for clues to whether the US economic slowdown is finally bottoming out.

In Europe, gross domestic product data will reveal how far the euro-zone economy was affected by the global downturn and retail sales data from Germany and Britain will also be closely watched.

The European Central Bank's governing council meets on Thursday to discuss monetary policy but a rates change is unlikely.

Monday

Results: Bovis Homes (H1), Brake Brothers (H1), British Polythene Industries (H1), Candover Investments (H1), Corus Group (H1), Ennstone (H1), Fairey Group (H1), Forth Ports (H1), Future Network (H1), Fyffes (H1), Galliford Try, Gullane Entertainment, Hays, Hercules Property, Host Europe (H1), IMI (H1), Interior Services, Knowledge Support (H1), Litho Supplies (H1), Minerva, PSD Group (H1), Rexel (H1), Spectris, Taylor Nelson Sofres, Television Corporation.

A.G.M.: Bula Resources, First Property Online, Framlington Global Financial (e.g.m.).

Meetings: Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport subcommitee on Mini-CTC Signalling Project,

Indicators: US consumer credit (Jul); British producer prices (Aug) and M0 data (Aug); Japanese machinery orders (Jul).

Tuesday

Results: Afa Systems (H1), Amey (H1), Arena Leisure (H1), Axon Group (H1), BBA Group (H1), Boosey & Hawkes (H1), Conister Trust (H1), Danone (H1), Fiat (H1), Friends Provident (H1), Heinz (Q1), Johnson Service Group (H1), Kerry Group (H1), Morgan Crucible (H1), Next (H1), Paterson Zochonis, Peterhouse (H1), Redrow, Roxboro Group (H1), SMG (H1), Woolworth's (H1), XTL Biopharmaceuticals (H1).

A.G.M.: Topps Tiles.

Meetings: Seminar on bullying in the workplace (Guinness Storehouse, Dublin); Seminan on "Doing Business in the Czech Republic" (Chief O'Neill's Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: Irish industrial production (Jul); German wholesale prices index (Aug), current account (Jul) and trade balance (Jul); French GDP (Q2).

Wednesday

Results: Aegis (H1), Alkane Energy (H1), Bede (H1), Benetton (Q2), Celltech (H1), Christian Dior (H1), Densitron Technologies (H1), General Mills (Q1), Heineken (H1), International Greetings (H1), Interserve (H1), John Lewis (H1), Mucklow (A&J), National Express Group (H1), Regent Inns, Robotic Tech System (H1), Schneider Electronics (H1), Thales (H1), Verity (Q1), Waterford Wedgwood (H1).

A.G.M.: Reliance Security, Stanley Leisure.

Meetings: PwC and Strategy Partners seminar "Info Ireland" 2001. (Burlington Hotel, Dublin - to Thurs); 31st European Small Business Seminar (Citywest Hotel, Dublin - to Fri).

Indicators: EMU labour costs (Q1) and earnings (Q1); US current account (Q2); British unemployment (Jul), average earnings (Jul) and unit wages (Jul); Italian industrial sales (Jun) and industrial orders (Jun); French consumer prices (Aug).

Thursday

Results: Adobe Systems (Q3), Axa (H1), BAE Systems (H1), Canary Wharf, CrΘdit Agricole (H1), Kier Group, Kingfisher (H1), Lattice Group (H1), LVMH (H1), Oracle (Q1), Overnet Data (H1), Publicis (H1), Stream Group (H1), Suez Lyonnaise (H1).

Meetings: ECB governing council meets; IAPF conference on new Pensions Bill (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin); Conference "In Praise of Hard Industries" (Trinity College, Dublin); Seminar on pushing e-procurement boundaries (Jurys Hotel, Dublin); The Agricultural Science Association annual conference (Corrib Great Southern Hotel, Galway).

Indicators: EU GDP (Q1); US import/export prices (Aug); British retail sales (Aug); Japanese retail sales (Jul) and current account (Jul); German retail sales (Jul); French payroll employment (Q2).

Others: Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (Jurys Hotel, Dublin).

Friday

Results: Air France (H1), Transware.

A.G.M.: Aim Group, ITG Group , Mediwatch.

Meetings: Sales Institute of Ireland breakfast meeting (Westbury Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: EMU balance of payments (Q2); Irish consumer prices (August); US producer prices (Aug), retail sales (Aug), industrial production (Aug), capacity utilisation (Aug) and Michigan sentiment survey (Aug); French trade balance (Jul); Japanese industrial production (Jul).

Others: Marketing Institute president's night (King's Inns, Dublin).