State airline Aer lingus reports its annual figures on Thursday. They should go a long way towards indicating whether the airline has a long-term future as an independent entity. Last year, despite record profits of £41 million, now departed chief executive, Mr Gary McGann, warned of the dangers of falling operating profits in core activities. The ongoing tourism and business boost provided by the buoyant economy should yield another set of record figures but it will be the underlying trends which will attract most attention. TEAM Aer Lingus and the likely cost of its disposal will figure prominently in briefings following the release of the figures.
US rates policy: Following previous remarks from the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Mr Alan Greenspan (below), attention globally will focus on his half-yearly address to Congress, the Humphrey Hawkins Testimony. Given the continuing bull run on world stock markets, it will be interesting to see if he issues warnings along the lines of the "irrational exuberance" comment which so alarmed the markets previously.
The knock-on effects for the US from the ongoing crisis in Asia and the rumbling rouble are likely to form a focus of his comments, but domestic growth and wage pressures will almost certainly also feature.
Monday
Results: Industrial Control, Iona Technologies (Q2), Trust of Property SHS (H1), US Smaller Co Inv.
A.G.M.: Greenway Holdings, Kleinwort Endowment, London & Edinburgh Publishing (also e.g.m.), Metroline (e.g.m.), North Atlantic Smaller, Parambe (e.g.m.), Pittencrieff Resources (e.g.m.), WT Foods, Zicor Mining.
Meetings: International Federation of Training and Development Organisations global conference (Trinity College, Dublin to Thurs).
Indicators: British M4 money supply data (Jun).
Tuesday
Results: Aston Villa, CERT, Mitie Group, Oglesby & Butler, St Mowden Props (H1), Temple Bar It (H1).
A.G.M.: British Energy, F&C Private, Railtrack, Vodafone, Young & Co's Brewery.
Meetings: Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service hear a presentation by outgoing Insurance Ombudsman and considers final report on review of financial institutions.
Indicators: US housing starts (Jun).
Others: The Pensions Board annual report.
Wednesday
Results: Allied Textile Co (H1), Martin Currie Moorgate IT, Reuters Holdings (H1), Stanley Leisure, Uno, WF Electrical.
A.G.M.: Anglian Water, Chloride Group, Coats Viyella, Ferrum Holdings (e.g.m.), Jasmin, Marlborough International, Meggitt (e.g.m.), Osborne & Little, Powergen (e.g.m.), Scottish Power, Videologic Group, Volex Group.
Meetings: US Federal Reserve chairman, Mr Alan Greenspan, presents his half-yearly Humphrey Hawkins Testimony to Congress.
Indicators: Irish non-EU trade (May); British retail sales (Jun); German M3 money supply data (Jun) and ifo industrial business index.
Thursday
Results: Aer Lingus, ICI (H1), Jones Stroud Holdings.
A.G.M.: Avesco (e.g.m.), Boots Co, Bristol Water, Brockhampton Holdings, Bula Resources, Cambridge Water, Celtic Resources, ITG (e.g.m.), Water, Meyer International, Morrison Construction, Omnimedia, Prism Rail, Proteus International, Renold, Scapa Group, Shanks & McEwan, Solvera, Tex Holdings, Tring International (e.g.m.), Warnford Investments, Wellington Underwriting (e.g.m.), Wynnstay Properties.
Meetings: Bundesbank Council meets.
Indicators: Irish agriculture price indices (May); British visible trade balance (May); US weekly jobless claims.
Others: Suparule begins trading on DCM and AIM markets.
Friday
Results: Martin Currie Japan, Nokia Corp (Q2).
A.G.M.: BTG (e.g.m.), Cathay International, Electrocomponents, Gresham Computing (e.g.m.), Invesco Asia Trust, Iona Technologies, London Clubs International, NFC (e.g.m.), Northern Foods, Quiligotti, Saltire, Sinclair Montrose (e.g.m.), Southern Electric, United Utilities, Waddington.
Indicators: Irish car sales (Mar); British preliminary GDP (Q2); German consumer prices (Jul).
Others: Official opening of Hewlett Packard plant in Leixlip, Co Kildare; Alizyme press conference.
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