Budgetary bull run

Following the surge late last week from the "equity-friendly" Budget, which saw the ISEQ index recover the ground lost due to the collapse of several Asian Tiger economies, the progress of the stock market, and particularly the financial stocks, will be one of the focus points of a quiet week on the domestic corporate front in the run-up to Christmas. Analysts expect a degree of consolidation following the major gains of Thursday and Friday last.

Among the key data being issued during the week, inflation is likely to rise to 1.4 per cent on an annualised basis - about 1 per cent on the EU harmonised measure which counts for the Maastricht criteria.

Monday

Results: Allders, API, Carclo Engineering Group (H1), Celltech, CRT Group (H1), Electronic Data Processing, Faupel Trading Group (H1), Highams Systems Services (H1), Jarvis (H1), Jasmin (H1), Marston Thompson & Evershed (H1), United Drug.

A.G.M.: Banner Homes (e.g.m.), Gremlin, Oriflame International (e.g.m.), Ormonde Mining, Vanguard Medica (e.g.m.).

Meetings: G10 central bankers hold regular monthly meeting at Bank for International Settlements (Basle); EU energy ministers (Brussels).

Indicators: Irish trade statistics (Jun); British manufacturing output (Oct), industrial production (Oct) and producer price index (Nov).

Tuesday

Results: Anglian Group (H1), Apollo Metals, Berkeley Group (H1), Bradstock Group, BSS Group (H1), BTP (H1), Compass Group, Drummond Group (H1), Ensor Holdings (H1), Fuller Smith & Turner (H1), Halma (H1), Heinz (Q2), Homes & Marchant Group, Hozelock Group, Leeds Group, Mentmore Abbey (H1), Photobition Group (H1), Martin Shelton (H1), Real Time Control (H1), Vaux Group, VHE Holdings (H1).

A.G.M.: DFS Furniture, Estates & Agency, Geared Income (e.g.m.), General Consolidated (e.g.m.), GR Holdings, Pressac Holdings, Schroders Inc Growth.

Meetings: Russia opens two days of talks with other members of the World Trade Organisation on its application for membership (Geneva).

Indicators: Irish Live Register flow analysis (Nov); British retail price index (Nov); Japanese machinery orders (Oct), trade (Oct) and current account (Oct); German unemployment (Nov).

Others: British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Gordon Brown gives evidence to the parliamentary treasury committee on the Green Budget

Wednesday

Results: Airtours, Firth Rixson, H P Bulmer Holdings (H1), Limit (H1), Martin Currie Small (H1), Metroline, Morland, Powderjet Pharmaceuticals (H1), Sage Group, Scottish Hydro Electric (H1), David S Smith (H1), Vibroplant (H1).

A.G.M.: Abtrust Preferred Inc, James Dickie, Dragon Health Clubs, AG Holdings, Bridport-Gundry.

Meetings: EU transport ministers (Brussels); ruling general council of the World Trade Organisation holds its regular monthly meeting (Geneva); Forfas innovation conference (Limerick).

Indicators: US wholesale trade (Oct) and current account (Q3); French consumer prices (Nov).

Others: British 10-year gilt auction.

Thursday

Results: Atlantic Telecom (H1), Countryside Properties, Daily Mail & General Trust, Galen Holdings, Harvey Nichols Group (H1), Hunters Armley Group, Lucasvarity (Q3), Racal Electronics (H1), Shield Diagnostics (H1).

A.G.M.: British Empire Sec, Dunham-Bush (Europe), Ferraris Group, Glasgow Income Trust, Liberty (e.g.m.), Medisys, Tyzack Precision.

Meetings: Bank of France monetary policy council; Foundation for Fiscal Studies seminar on tax progressivity in Ireland (Newman House, Dublin).

Indicators: Irish consumer price index (Nov); British CBI monthly trends survey (Dec); US weekly jobs claims, retail sales (Nov) and import/export prices (Nov); German retail sales (Oct).

Friday

Results: Bandt (H1), Brasway (H1), Grainger Trust, John Swan & Sons (H1).

A.G.M.: Foreign & Col Emerging, Wolseley.

Meetings: European Union summit of heads of state and government (Luxembourg to Sat).

Indicators: Irish wholesale prices (Nov); US producer prices (Nov), business inventories (Oct) and Atlanta Federal Index (Nov).

Others: Donegal Creameries makes its market debut; Deadline for the conclusion of World Trade Organisation negotiations on a pact to liberalise financial services (Geneva).