With World Cup fever taking hold, the timing of the reporting season has proved fortuitous. Little of import takes place on the domestic corporate front in the week ahead apart from interim results from Fyffes and ICC Bank. The former might feel somewhat hard done by that the attention of analysts is elsewhere at a time when the company is finally delivering somewhat on the promise of previous years. On the acquisition trail now after a show of support from directors, the company has benefitted from the minimalist nature of changes to the EU banana regime following initial World Trade Organisation intervention and should show a healthy return in interim figures, due today, following the surprisingly robust annual figures for last year.
Monday
Results: Ashquay Group, British Steel, Cadcentre Group, Fyffes (H1), ICC Bank (H1), London Scottish Bank (H1), Northumbrian Fine Foods, Partners Holdings, Robert Wiseman Dairies, Saltire, Tamaris, Univak (H1), Wynnstay Properties.
A.G.M.: Biocompatibles (e.g.m.), Orbis (e.g.m.).
Meetings: Britain hosts European Union summit. Agenda includes national employment action plans and economic reforms, the future of the EU and how to make it more accountable, and the Agenda 2000 proposals for internal reforms and on enlargement. (Cardiff to Tues).
Indicators: Japanese industrial production (May); German wholesale prices (May).
Others: Fortis's offer for Generale Bank due to open; Britain's Solicitor General Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC to give seminar on "Complex Fraud Trials and Financial Regulation" at London School of Economics.
Tuesday
Results: Bradstock (H1), Cedardata, Denmans Electrical (H1), Eurotherm (H1), FKI, GWR Group, Hazelwood Foods (H1), Mountview Estates, Portsmouth & Sunderland, Securicor (H1), VHE Holdings, Volvo (H1).
A.G.M.: Blagen, Clunhaus (e.g.m.), Dialog Corporation, Eurotunnel, Golden Vale, William Jacks, Merrydown (e.g.m.), Natexis, Taylor & Nelson, Whitbread.
Meetings: European Union environment ministers meet to discuss how they should share out the burden of meeting the EU's target under the Kyoto accord on global warming (Luxembourg to Wed).
Indicators: British public sector borrowing requirement (May) and retail price index (May); US industrial production (May), consumer price index (May), capacity utilisation (May) and housing starts (May); German retail sales (Apr); French current account (Mar); Italian industrial production (Apr).
Wednesday
Results: AIT Group, Bradford Property, Courts, Nursing Home Props (H1), Porter Chadburn, Rebus Group.
A.G.M.: Brewin Dolphin (e.g.m.), El Oro Mining, Exploration Co, Joseph Holt, Princedale Group.
Meetings: The World Trade Organisation's dispute settlement body meets (Geneva); EU transport and environment ministers hold joint meeting (to Thurs).
Indicators: Reuters releases monthly survey of expectations for European economic and monetary union; British unemployment (May), wage costs (Apr) and average earnings (Apr).
Thursday
Results: Martin Currie European It, Scapa Group, Wah Kwong Shipping, WT Foods.
A.G.M.: Antofagasta Holdings, Highlands & Lowlands, Proudfoot, Scottish Mortgage & Trust, HC Slingsby, Wensum Company, Yule Catto (e.g.m.).
Meetings: ITPA annual lunch addressed by Experian chief executive John Saunders (Burlington Hotel, Dublin); Institute of European Affairs seminar on "The Changeover to EMU".
Indicators: British retail sales (May), motor vehicle production (May) and building society figures (May); US international trade (Apr), weekly jobless claims, current account (Q1) and Philadelphia Federal Survey (Jun); German trade balance (Apr) and current account (Apr).
Others: Business, Education and Training Partnership Forum first meeting (Royal Hospital, Kilmainham); Minister for Public Enterprise, Mary O'Rourke presents public relations awards (Dublin Castle).
Friday
Results: Martin Currie Smaller.
A.G.M.: BBB Design Group (also e.g.m.), Body Shop (e.g.m.), British Dredging, Ennex International, JKX Oil & Gas, Wagon Industrial (e.g.m.).
Indicators: French industrial production (Apr).
