CRH to lead results show

A host of major Irish companies produce figures in the coming week, with Grafton today, CRH, FBD, IAWS and Waterford Wedgwood tomorrow and Irish Life & Permanent and Glanbia on Wednesday.

Analysts are looking for a 10 per cent rise in CRH profits to around #695 million, with diluted earnings per share jumping closer to 20 per cent of #1.33. After a strong year, profits at Waterford Wedgwood should jump about 30 per cent to around #85 million.

With core mortgage lending still strong and the restructured assurance side delivering growth, Irish Life & Permanent will also be looking for a solid set of figures.

Monday

Results: Aggregate Industries, British Vita, Close Brothers (H1), Exel, Grafton, Guardian IT, Inchcape, Molins, Pearson, Redrow (H1), Thistle Hotel, Vitec Group.

Meetings: German-Irish Chamber of Industry monthly business breakfast (Stephens Green Club, Dublin); Conference on Pensions and Prospects (ESRI).

Indicators: EMU business climate index (Feb), PMI services (Feb) and composite index (Feb); Irish industrial production (Jan) and NCB PMI services (Feb); US NAPM non-manufacturing (Feb); British retail sales monitor (Feb); Japanese income figures (Jan).

Others: Coca-Cola national enterprise awards (Conrad Hotel, Dublin)

Tuesday

Results: Ahold, Balfour Beatty, Bayer (Q4), BBA Group, Cairn Energy, Credit Lyonnais, CRH, FBD, IAWS (H1), ICM Computer Group (H1), Informa Group, Linx Printing Tech (H1), Meggitt, Old Mutual, Pittards, Savills, Thorntons, Waterford Wedgwood.

Meetings: EU/US ministerial meeting (Washington); Internet Security Forum seminar (Westbury Hotel, Dublin); WTO dispute settlement body meets (Geneva).

Indicators: EMU retail sales (Dec); Irish quarterly national household survey (Q4); US productivity (Q4), unit labour costs (Q4) and manufacturing orders (Jan); British Halifax house price survey (Feb); French consumer confidence (Feb); German unemployment (Feb).

Others: Publication of Irish Association of Investment Managers' annual retail funds survey.

Wednesday

Results: AMEC, Britannic, BV Group, Canary Wharf (H1), Coats Viyella, Glanbia, Irish Life & Permanent, Mucklow (A&J) Group (H1). Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committee meets (to Thurs); IAPF seminar on "Trusteeship and How to Survive It" (Burlington Hotel, Dublin); Seminar on "The Three Bid Es for Business the euro, employee retention and ebusiness" (Jurys Hotel, Dublin); Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs talks to Central Bank governor Mr Maurice O'Connell.

Indicators: EMU producer prices (Jan); US consumer credit (Jan); Japanese wholesale price index (Feb), leading indicators (Jan), coincidental indices (Jan) and bank lending (Feb); German manufacturing new orders (Jan);

Others: British budget; European Commission publishes formal review of how economic guidelines have been met across all member-states.

Thursday

Results: Adidas Salomon, Compass Software, Cordiant Communications, Enterprise Oil, FLS Industries, GKN, MacFarlane Group, Marshalls, Mowlem (John), Rexam, Sulzer Medica, Travis Perkins, Queens Moat Houses.

Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committee announces rate decision; Metals, Mining & Steel conference (Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin); Hamilton Osborne King property viewpoint 2001 (Guinness Storehouse, Dublin).

Indicators: EMU GDP (Q4); British housing starts (Jan); German industrial production (Jan) and manufacturing output (Jan); Japanese machinery orders (Jan) and GDP (Q4).

Others: Publication of National Lottery annual report 2000.

Friday

Indicators: EMU balance of payments (Q4); British industrial production (Jan) and manufacturing output (Jan); US unemployment (Feb), average working week (Feb), inflation (Feb), wholesale trade (Jan) and average hourly earnings (Feb); Italian industrial sales/orders (Dec).