THIS WEEK will get off to a quiet start on this side of the Atlantic, with Ireland and the UK enjoying a bank holiday today.
The key events of the week will take place on Thursday, with both the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England due to announce their latest interest rate decisions.
Neither bank is expected to adjust rates.
However, ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet's speech at the press conference following the rate decision will be closely scrutinised for any signals of future changes to the ECB's monetary policy.
Meanwhile, a new report due out this week from specialist bank Investec promises to deliver an insight into the phenomenon of Ireland's new super-rich.
Monday
Public holiday in Ireland, UK and Japan
Results: Hewitt Associates
Indicators: US ISM - non-manufacturing (Apr).
Other: Trading update from Lloyds TSB
Tuesday
Public holiday in Japan
Results: Aberdeen Asset Management, Avis Budget, Brightpoint, Cisco, UBS, United Drug, Walt Disney.
Meetings: Capita and Rightmove AGMs
Indicators: EU producer prices; Irish purchasing managers' survey - services (Apr); UK purchasing managers' survey - services (Apr); German purchasing managers' survey - services (Apr); French purchasing managers' survey - services (Apr); Italian purchasing managers' survey - services (Apr).
Other: O2 will announce results of its annual lifestyle survey of small- and medium-sized businesses; launch of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Northern Ireland (Long Gallery, Stormont).
Wednesday
Results: Allergan, Anglo Irish Bank, British American Tobacco, Crocs, easyJet, InterContinental Hotels, Liberty International, Marsh McLennan, Millennium Copthorne Hotels, Puma, Swisscom
Meetings: CRH, Rolls-Royce and Savills AGMs.
Indicators: US productivity (Q1) and consumer credit (Mar); UK industrial production (Mar); German industrial orders (Mar); French external trade (Mar).
Other: Skillnets national conference, new training report - Measuring the Impact of Training for the Low Skilled - to be launched (Croke Park Conference Centre); launch of Investec report on Ireland's new super-rich.
Thursday
Results: CC, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, Diageo, Gartner, Sage, Unilever
Meetings: ECB meeting and press conference; Grafton Group, Lloyds TSB and Provident. Indicators: Irish CPI (Apr) and Production in Building and Construction Index (Q4); US money supply (w/e Apr 28th) and jobless claims (w/e Mar3rd); UK MPC decision;
German industrial output (Mar) and external trade (Mar)
Other: Trading updates from Next; Global Messaging Awards 2008 for the mobile messaging industry (Cannes).
Friday
Results: CC, Smurfit Kappa
Meetings: Smurfit Kappa, Aga Foodservice and Bovis Homes AGMs
Indicators: Irish industrial production and turnover (Mar); US external trade (Mar); French industrial output (Mar)
Other: CSO publishes Small Business in Ireland, 2008 edition; Trading update from HMV; Patrick Coveney, chief executive of Greencore, will address the members of the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants (Westin Hotel, Dublin 2)
