A number of Irish public companies will report annual figures this week. Among the more interesting should be Waterford Wedgwood, which issues its results tomorrow. The market is likely to zoom in on the performance of the Wedgwood side of the business in particular.
Wednesday sees figures from Irish Life & Permanent which should provide plenty of cheer on the back of the continuing boom. Most interest will focus on its outlook, particularly and expansion plans in the aftermath of the removal of the Ulster Bank options, the ongoing struggle at First Active and the upheaval in the State banking sector.
Glanbia, which reports the same day, will need to persuade the market its strategy will yield results after a difficult year for agri-business.
Monday
Results: Cookson Group, Enviromed, Eurotunnel, Hays (H1), Pearson, Persimmon, Quick, Readymix, Rexel, Swissair, Try Group.
A.G.M.: Hanson (e.g.m.).
Meetings: Marketing Institute's Marketing in Action seminar given by Glanbia's marketing director Mr Brian Reid (Jurys Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU business confidence (Feb) and economic sentiment (Feb); US housing completions (Jan); Japanese household spending (Jan).
Others: British auction of licences for third generation of mobile phones; Tanaiste, Ms Harney opens EU transnational week on new forms of work organisation (Civic Offices, Dublin).
Tuesday
Results: Aegis Group, Ahold, Axon Group, BAT, Canal Plus, Credit Lyonnais, De Beers, FBD, Independent Insurance, PinaultPrintemps-Redoute, Redrow (H1), Schroder Ventures (H1), Thorntons (H1), Waterford Wedgwood.
Meetings: Vision 2020: Flexibility and Virtuality @ Work.ie conference on future of working practices (Davenport Hotel, Dublin); Ireland Spain Economic Association lunch addressed by Fine Gael leader Mr John Bruton (Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU producer price index (Jan); Irish quarterly national household survey (Q4); US productivity (Q4) and consumer credit (Jan); German industrial production (Jan) and wholesale sales (Jan); Japanese leading and coincidental indicators (Jan); French official reserves (Q4).
Others: AIB Capital Markets/IEA Millennium Export Excellence Awards (AIB International Centre, IFSC)..
Wednesday
Results: BNP, Cairn Energy, Coats Viyella, Cordiant Communications, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, Gameplay.com (H1), GKN, Glanbia, Irish Life & Permanent, Laird Group, Metal Bulletin, John Mowlem, Old Mutual, Pittard, RHI, ThomsonCSF, Usinor.
Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committeee (to Thurs); Bank of Japan policy board meets; Richard Stallman on "The Free Software Movement and the GNU/Linux OS" (UCD Burke Theatre).
Indicators: British industrial production (Jan) and manufacturing output (Jan); US Beige Book; German manufacturing orders (Jan) and unemployment (Feb).
Others: Riverdeep announces share flotation price; Greece officially applies for EMU membership; FTSE 100 announce any changes to composition.
Thursday
Results: Admiral, Aegon, Amec, Canary Wharf (H1), Dunloe Ewart, FLS, Grafton, LVMH, Queens Moat Houses, Rexam, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sulzer, Travis Perkins, UBS, Ulster TV.
Meetings: Retail Summit 2000 (Leopardstown Pavilion, Dublin). E group chief executive, Mr Paul McDonald appears before Oireachtas Joint Commitee on Public Enterprise and Transport.
Indicators: EMU earnings (Q3) and labour cost index (Q3); British construction new orders (Jan), housing starts/completions (Jan); US wholesale trade (Jan) and Chicago federal index (Jan).
Others: ECB publishes monthly bulletin; Riverdeep begins trading; British Airports Authority announces traffic figures; Buyandsell.net ISP announces details of free share offer.
Friday
Results: Lafarge, Puma, Singer & Friedlander, Vitec, Vivendi, Wolters Kluwer.
A.G.M.: NatWest Bank (e.g.m.).
Meetings: Irish Institute of Training and Development's national conference "Training and HR Development 2000" (Stakis Hotel, Dublin)
Indicators: French consumer price index (Feb); Dutch consumer price index (Jan); German current account (Jan) and trade balance (Jan).
Others: European Investment Bank annual news conference (Paris).
