Finance Diary

With  the corporate world running down in the run-up to Christmas, attention in the week ahead will focus at home on further fall-out from Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy's sixth Budget and, abroad, on the special meeting of European Union finance ministers to try to salvage some accord on the issue of a community wide savings tax regime.

While agreement is unlikely, the EU will probably put a more unified front on at the end of the week when the summit of EU and candidate countries to agree enlargement concludes.

Monday

Results: Avionic Services, Faupel Trading (H1), Heath Samuel (H1), IWP, Medisys, Mitie Group (H1), NHP, Safestone, Theo Fennell (H1), Wolverhampton & Dudley.

A.G.M.: Sheffield United.

Meetings: Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants conference on the Budget and tax planning (Hilton Hotel, Dublin); 14th Monaco World Summit (Monaco - to Tues); Former acting SEC chief economist Mr William Atkinson addresses National Economics Club in New York on "The SEC's Agenda Following 9/11"..

Indicators: British producer prices (Nov) and output (Nov); German industrial production (Oct); Japanese core machinery orders (Oct).

Others: National Innovation Awards 2002; Tourism Ireland announces plans for overseas marketing for 2003; Talks start on delayed fourth review of Turkey's $16 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan pact. Review linked to release of $1.6 billion loan instalment.

Tuesday

Results: First Technology (H1), Glotel (H1), Greene King, Northgate Info Sols (H1), Pursuit Dynamic, PHS Group (H1), Securicor, Theratase, Vega Group (H1).

A.G.M.: Accor, Invox, Old Mutual South Africa Tst.

Meetings: US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting on interest rates; World Trade Organisation general council meeting (Geneva - to Wed); Dáil Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service meets on National Development Finance Agency Bill.

Indicators: Euro-zone construction production (Q3); US wholesale inventories (Oct) service revenues (Nov) and Institute of Supply Management semi-annual report; British trade balance (Oct); Italian GDP (Q3); Japanese consumer confidence (Nov).

Others: Nokia trading statement.

Wednesday

Results: Anite, Blick (H1), Computerland UK, DS Smith (H1), Eldridge Pope & Co, Fayrewood (H1), First Choice Holidays, ITE Group, Remy Cointreau (H1), Severn Trent (H1), Slimma.

A.G.M.: Advance UK Tst, Debenhams, Telecom Italia (plus e.g.m.).

Meetings: Ecofin meeting; The Economic and Social Research Institute hosts environment/energy conference: "The Sky's the Limit - Efficient and Fair Policies on global Warming" (Hilton Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: Irish industrial production (Oct); International Investment Position, 1998-2001; non-EU trade (Oct); German current account (Oct), trade balance (Oct) and imports/exports (Oct); French consumer prices (Nov); Italian EU trade (Oct).

Others: World Bank issues the "Global Economic Prospects 2002" report; Trading statement from Kingfisher; International Energy Agency issues monthly oil market report; Alliance & Leicester trading statement; British Airports Authority traffic figures.

Thursday

Results: AEA Technology, Alba, Atkins (WS), Belhaven, Berkeley, British Energy (H1), Bespak, IFX Group, Mckay Securities, NRJ, Premier Farnell (Q3), Titon Holdings, WS Atkins (H1), Yeoman Group, Zytronics.

A.G.M.: Carrefour, Close Fins Asset Management, Coffee Republic, Estates & Agency, Interior Services, Oglesby & Butler, Schroder Income Growth, Vantis, Watford Leisure (e.g.m.).

Meetings: EU and candidate countries heads of state and government hold summit on completion of enlargement talks (Copenhagen - to Fri); Dáil Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service hears presentation from the Irish League of Credit Unions; OPEC ministerial conference to decide crude oil output policy for the first quarter of 2003 (Vienna); Bundesbank central council meets.

Indicators: Irish construction earnings and hours worked (Q3); US retail sales (Nov) import/export prices (Nov) and current account (Q3); British CBI industrial trends survey (Nov); French industrial production (Oct), manufacturing production (Oct0 and payroll employment (Q3); Japanese Tankan Sentiment Survey (Dec) and business survey (Q4).

Others: First Active issues pre-close trading statement; IBEC'c announces expansion of its graduate placement programme worldwide; US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee publishes minutes of November 6th meeting.

Friday

A.G.M.: Dimension Data (e.g.m.), Fidelity Special Value, GR (Holdings), McCarthy & Stone, Thomson Clive, Wolseley.

Indicators: Irish consumer prices (Nov) and retail sales (Oct); US Michigan Sentiment Survey (Dec prelim), business inventories (Oct) and producer prices (Nov); French trade balance (Oct); Japanese industrial production (Oct rev)..

Others: Bradford & Bingley trading statement.