Baltimore sets out its plan

In the middle of the holiday season, there is not much excitement. On the economic front, there is a growing feeling that the US Federal Reserve will cut rates by 25 basis points when it meets tomorrow.

In the corporate world, most Irish interest will focus on former stock market darling Baltimore Technologies, which has had a tough year - with three profit warnings, job cuts and a plunging share price. The firm, which reports second quarter figures on Wednesday, has also been the target of bid speculation, and last month rebuffed a takeover approach from privately owned UK technology licensing company, Chantilley.

The group has said in advance that revenues for the three months to June were €16.5 million, against €23.7 million in the first quarter. Analysts will also be keen to find out about the group's cash situation.

Baltimore recently announced an operational review to preserve its cash reserves - the results of which are expected with the quarterly figures.

Monday

Results: Agilent Technologies (Q3), BHP Billiton, Hansard Group, Hathaway, Medtronic (Q1), Rage Software, Toys 'R' Us (Q2), Universe Group (H1), WPP (H1).

A.G.M.: Guinness Peat (e.g.m.), Meanfiddler.com (e.g.m.), Tops Estates.

Indicators: EMU industrial production (Jun); US leading indicators (Jul) and federal budget (Jul); British trade balance (Jun), non-EU trade (Jul), M0 (Apr) and M4 (Jul) data and public sector borrowing requirement; German producer prices (Jul) and inflation (Aug).

Others: Department of Finance publishes its annual review and outlook; German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schr÷der gives speech on European enlargement (Halle).

Tuesday

Results: Beeson Gregory Group (H1), C & D Technologies (Q2), Catalyst Semiconductor (Q1), Ciba (H1), Delcam (H1), Deutsche Post (H1), Enzon, Genemedix (H1), Handelsbanken (Q2), Havas Advertis (H1 sales), Intuit, Novartis (H1), Royal Bank of Canada (Q3), Saks (Q2), SCB Computer Technology (Q1), Simon Group (H1), Staples (Q2), Sycamore Network, Target Corp. (Q2), Valentis.

A.G.M.: Swan (John) & Sons.

Meetings: US Federal Reserve's Open Markets Committee meets.

Indicators: Irish output prices (Jul) and producer prices (Jul); Japanese tertiary index (Jun).

Others: President of US CATO think-tank Mr William Niskanen speaks on US administration and the economic outlook for the US.

Wednesday

Results: Aggreko (H1), Baltimore Technologies (Q2), Biopure (Q3), Bodycote International (H1), Bradford & Bingley (H1), Domnic Hunter Group (H1), IQE (Q2), Gymboree (Q2), Kvaerner (Q2), Longs Drug Stores (Q2), Lufthansa (H1), MAN (H1), NestlΘ (H1), Nordea (Q2), Omnivision (Q1), Phillips-Van Heusen (Q2), TD Waterhouse Group (Q3), Telenor (Q2), Vestas (H1).

A.G.M.: Amberley Group, Dunedin Enterprise.

Meetings: Gartner Consulting seminar on "From Strategy to Results", cost containment through IT and the value of selective sourcing (Radisson Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: Irish new car registrations (May); British GDP (Q2); French trade balance (Jun); German Ifo business climate index (Jul).

Others: Minister of State at the Department of Finance and OPW, Mr Martin Cullen, announces details of research element of National Development Plan.

Thursday

Results: ADC Telecomm (Q3), Barnes & Noble (Q2), Clarke (T) (H1), Countrywide Assured (H1), Financial Objects (H1), Generics (H1), IFX Power (H1), ING (H1), K-Mart (Q2), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (Q2), Medicis Pharmaceutical, Merant (Q1), Preussag (H1), Rolls-Royce (H1), Saab (Q2), SEB (Q2), Sulzer (H1), Swisscom (H1), Tesco (Q2), Toronto Dominion Bank (Q3), VA Linux Systems, Zygo (Q1).

A.G.M.: Trifast.

Meetings: Swedish central bank executive board monetary policy meeting.

Indicators: EMU trade balance (Jun) and current account (Jun); Irish manufacturing output (Jun); German GDP (Q2) and import prices (Jul), French current account (May).

Friday

Results: Shiloh Industries (Q3), Williams-Sonoma (Q2).

A.G.M.: Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Jacques Vert (e.g.m.), Precoat International.

Indicators: Irish trade figures (Jun); US durable goods orders (Jul) and new home sales (Jul); French consumer prices (Jul).

Others: Swedish central bank announces decision on interest rates.