Looking for Bank's plans

Strong full-year results are expected from Bank of Ireland on Thursday in the midst of the sustained growth in the economy and…

Strong full-year results are expected from Bank of Ireland on Thursday in the midst of the sustained growth in the economy and in personal credit. Profits are forecast to be up 14 per cent at around €960 million, with earnings per share rising about 22 per cent to more than 65.5 cents.

But analysts will be more interested in the bank's plans to meet the challenge of the Internet and outside competition. It will also be looking for news of plans to bolster the share price which has suffered since the collapse of a proposed merger with Britain's Alliance & Leicester.

Baltimore: Baltimore Technologies comes under the spotlight tomorrow as unveils its first quarter figures, the first results from the group since its ascent to the FTSE-100.

The security software company has clinched a number of key deals over recent weeks, including contracts with PricewaterhouseCoopers and the US government. Investors will be keen to hear of any new contracts, but Stockbrokers Greig Middleton say the best news would be a tie-up with a distribution partner.

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Monday

Results: Cisco (Q1), Imperial Tobacco (H1), Skandia (Q1), Statoil (Q1).

A.G.M.: Centrica, Henkel, Merchants Trust.

Meetings: Ecofin meeting (Brussels); Vintners Federation of Ireland annual conference (Talbot Hotel, Wexford to Wed); ATTIS 2000 Europe Conference (Burlington Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: British producer prices (Apr); German industrial production (Mar).

Others: Opening of Institute of Technology, Sligo.

Tuesday

Results: Baltimore Technologies (Q1), BP Amoco (Q1), Capital Radio (H1), Hunter Douglas (H1), Kvaerner (Q1), Matalan, Sage (H1), Villeroy Boch.

A.G.M.: Alizyme, Baltimore Technologies, BICC, Colgate-Palmolive, Gallaher, Kerr-McGee, Rentokil Initial (e.g.m.), Shell.

Meetings: Marketing Society meeting addressed by Nua chief executive Mr Gerry McGovern (Fitzwilliam Hotel, Dublin); Europe 2020 Workshop programme (Institute of European Affairs).

Indicators: Irish unemployment (Apr); German unemployment (Apr).

Wednesday

Results: Athlone Extrusions (H1), British Energy, British Sky (Q3), N Brown Group, CGU (Q1), Deltron Electronics (H1), DePfa, Fenner (H1), Grantchester Holdings (H1), MMT Computing (H1), Unilever (Q1).

A.G.M.: ABN-Amro, ICOS, Inchcape, Norwich Union, Nycomed Amersham, Sun Life & Provincial.

Meetings: Irish Internet Association inaugural national conference (RDS, Dublin); Info 2000 technology and Business seminar (RDS, Dublin to Thurs); Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants monthly meeting addressed by Eircom chief executive Mr Alfie Kane; Sales Institute of Ireland meets on "Building Customer Relationship Management" (Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin).

Indicators: Bank of England inflation report.

Thursday

Results: ADS System (Q1), Ashanti Goldfields (Q1), Avon Rubber (H1), Bank of Ireland, BG (Q1), Blacks Leisure, Colt (Q1), Danske Bank (Q1), Dell Computer (Q1), JOT Automation (Q1), SAS (Q1), Veba (Q1), Viridian.

A.G.M.: Adidas Solomon, Bowthorpe, Electrabel, Glanbia, K uoni, Merck, TT Group, Veba.

Meetings: ECB governing council meets; IPD(I) annual conference (Brandon Hotel, Tralee); E-xpo Windows World (RDS, Dublin to Fri); County Meath Investment Showcase (Fairyhouse Racecourse); German-Irish Chamber of Commerce business breakfast (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin); Institute of Certified Public Accountants conference on information technology (O'Reilly Hall, UCD); AV Edge symposium (UCD).

Indicators: Irish tourism and travel (Q4) and trade with non-EU countries (Feb); British industrial production (Mar); US retail sales (Apr); German consumer prices (Apr).

Others: IDEA 2000 awards presentation by Esat Telecom chairman Mr Denis O'Brien (The POD, Dublin).

Friday

A.G.M.: Pearson, Taylor Woodrow.

Meetings: Chambers of Commerce of Ireland annual conference on "Ireland: Competitive or Complacent?" (Dublin Castle to Sat).

Indicators: Irish balance of international payments (Q4) and Live Register flow analysis (Apr); US producer price index (Apr) and Atlanta Federal Index; French consumer prices (Apr).