After a week in which another round of profit warnings have undermined the markets and some have begun to talk seriously about the new economy's first recession, attention this week will focus on consumer confidence data for the US due tomorrow. If these are as weak as many fear, the markets will be looking for a further half point rate cut next month. Fourth quarter GDP figures on Wednesday will also be closely watched.
In Europe, the ECB is not expected to cut rates at its Thursday meeting but analysts will be looking for clues in the subsequent press conference and in EU figures for inflation, employment and the purchasing managers' index for pointers on future direction.
MONDAY
Results: Blue Circle, Bunzl, CMG, Datamonitor, LM Ericsson, Flomerics Group, HSBC, Jardine Lloyd Thompson, Jazz FM (H1), Pankl Racing Systems (Q1), Ricardo (H1), SDL, Singer & Friedlander, Statpro, Systems International Group (H1), Tarsus Group, Ultra Electronics.
Meetings: Irish Hotels Federation annual conference (Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny to Wed); Sales Institute of Ireland breakfast (Westbury Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU trade balance (Dec), imports (Dec) and exports (Dec).
Others: Irish Bankers' Federation publishes annual review; IRTC announces decision on new Cork licence.
TUESDAY
Results: Aggreko, CGNU, Cookson Group (H1), Dominick Hunter Group, First Active, Freeport (H1), Gallaher, Gioma Restaurants, Hibernian, Hunters Leisure (H1), Kerry Group, Lattice Group, Legal & General, Ncipher (Q4), Nycomed Amersham, Oneclick HR, Orchestream (Q4), Photobition Group (H1), Regus, SMG, Staffware, TDG, Telefonica, Trintech (Q4).
A.G.M.: Brewin Dolphin, Conroy Diamond & Gold, Euro Disney.
Meetings: Foresight business breakfast (TCD Dining Hall, Dublin); SCS/IPD annual presentation on Irish commercial property market (Westbury Hotel, Dublin); Securities Institute talk on "Management of the National Pension Reserve Fund" (Conrad Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: US consumer confidence (Feb); British consumer credit (Jan); Italian retail sales (Dec); French and business confidence (Feb).
Others: Geneva Motor Show opens.
WEDNESDAY
Results: Arc International, BAT, Bradford & Bingley, CyberTron, Dechra Pharmaceuticals (H1), Domestic & General (H1), Domino's Pizza, Downtex, Eidos (Q3), Elementis, Endesa, Expocentric, Fox Kids, Lorien, Medical Solutions, Petroplus, Project Telecom, Reckitt Benckiser, Rentokil Initial, Roche, Royalblue Group, Schroders, Spirent, Stena Line.
Indicators: EMU inflation (Jan), unemployment (Jan) and M1 data (Jan); US GDP (Q4); British consumer confidence (Feb); French unemployment (Jan), producer prices (Jan) and business confidence (Feb).
THURSDAY
Results: 365 Corporation (H1), BAE Systems, BPP Holdings, Davis Service, Datalex, Dixons Motors, Havas Advertising, Heineken (earn- ings), ING (earnings), Isotrom (H1), iTouch (Q4), Persimmon, Pinault-Printemps, Profile Therapeutics (H1), Provalis (H1), Royal Bank of Scot- land, Royal & Sun Alliance, Schneider Electric, Sportsworld Media Group (H1), Wembley, White Young Green (H1).
A.G.M.: Carlton Communications, Siemens (e.g.m.), Unidare.
Meetings: ECB meets (Frankfurt); Economist Dr Peter Bacon speaks on "Present and Future Trends in Ireland's Housing Market" (AIB Bankcentre, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU manufacturing purchasing managers' index (Feb); US NAPM (Feb); British M4 data (Jan), manufacturing PMI (Feb) and CBI distributive trades survey (Feb); German PMI (Feb) and GDP (Q4); French PMI (Feb).
FRIDAY
Results: Air Liquide, Aventis, Brixton Estate, Rank Group, Rolls-Royce, SAirGroup.
Indicators: EU business, consumer and economic surveys (Feb); Irish unemployment (Feb).
Others: Irish Franchise and Business Opportunity Exhibition (RDS, Dublin).
