This Week

THIS WEEK will be relatively quiet in terms of economic data. The key indicator to watch will be the retail sales data for April on Thursday.

Following an average decline of 21.6 per cent in retail sales for the first quarter, economists are expecting April’s figures to show a pick-up.

MONDAY

Results: Eckoh; Majestic Wine.

Meeting: IFA launch campaign to highlight the benefits of the Common Agricultural Policy; Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan will launch the IWEA Deloitte report on Jobs Investment in Wind Energy in Ireland; ECB executive board member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell speaks at an Italian Banking Association event (Rome); ECB presents the "Financial Stability Review 2009" (Frankfurt); symposium on the current condition of financial regulation in Ireland – panel includes Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton (Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin).

Indicators: EU employment change (Q1); Irish Institutional Sector Accounts Financial First Results (2008); US NY Empire State manufacturing index (Jun), net long-term TIC flows (Apr) and NAHB housing market index (Jun); Canadian manufacturing shipments (Apr); Swiss producer and import prices (May).

Other: Tax week 2009 (to Friday).

TUESDAY

Results: Adobe.

Meeting: EU Finance Day - conference on EU SME policy, EU financial instruments and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (Holiday Inn, Pearse Street); Ted Baker agm; ECB governing council member Axel Weber speaks at the University of Cologne about financial stability and central banks.

Indicators: US producer price index (May); UK consumer price index (May) and retail price index (May); Swiss industrial production (QoQ); Bank of Japan interest rate decision.

Other: Trading updates from Tesco and Whitbread.

WEDNESDAY

Results: FedEx; Victoria, WS Atkins.

Meeting: The IMCA Medal Breakfast event (Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, Kildare Street); Institution of Occupational Safety and Health annual conference (Killashee House Hotel).

Indicators: Irish vital statistics (Q3); US consumer price index (May) and EIA crude oil stocks change; Swiss adjusted real retail sales; Australian housing starts.

Other: OECD-FAO agricultural outlook assesses impact of crisis on farm sector (Paris); Packaging Ireland event (RDS); trading update from Sainsbury.

THURSDAY

Results: Ashtead

Meeting: InterTradeIreland Economic Forum – Global Outlook, with US economic expert Adam Posen and Francis Ruane, director of the ESRI (Farmleigh, Phoenix Park); Midsummer Networking Event (Murphy Brewery, Cork); Business of Social Media seminar hosted by Futureproof and Eircom (The Science Gallery, TCD); MKO Partners to hold seminar on "The Business of Residential Property Rental".

Indicators: Irish retail sales index (April), vehicles licensed for the first time (May); US continuing jobless claims (Jun 6), initial jobless claims (Jun 13), leading indicators (May) and Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey (Jun); UK M4 money supply (May), public sector net borrowing (May) and retail sales (May); Canadian consumer price index (May).

Other: Enterprise Ireland event for investors and entrepreneurs (Guinness Storehouse); trading updates from Cadbury and Go-Ahead.

FRIDAY

Meeting: : Taylor Wimpey and UK Coal agms.

Indicators: Irish production in building and construction index (Q1) and tourism and travel (Q1); German producer price index (May); Canadian retail sales (Apr).