The focus this week in Europe will be on airlines with the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke meeting the EU transport commissioner, Ms Loyola de Palacio, to sound out what State assistance can be given to struggling airlines, like Aer Lingus, wihtout contravening EU law.
On the home front, Independent News & Media holds an extraordinary general meeting today to rubber-stamp the second tranche of its share placing. The company's stock is now substantially below the placing price and the markets have yet to hear a convincing reason for the time behind the move.
In the US, the Federal Reserve's open market committee meets tomorrow and will examine the strength of the partial recovery in US markets. Still, there seems little it can now do to avert the widely expected recession in the US.
Monday
Results: Galeries Lafayette (H1), Gyrus Group (H1), TJ Hughes (H1), Send Group (H1).
AGMs: Independent News & Media (e.g.m.); Medical Marketing International, Systems Integrated.
Meetings: European Meat Forum 2001(Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU purchasing managers' index (Sep); US personal income/spending (Aug), construction spending (Aug), motor sales (Sep) and the National Association of Purchasing Managers' index (Sep); British consumer credit (Aug), purchasing managers' index (Sep), M4 (Sep) and M0 (Aug); Japanese monetary base (Sep); French purchasing managers' index (Sep) and car registrations (Sep); Italian purchasing managers' index (Sep); German purchasing managers' index (Sep).
Others: Minister for Public Enterprise Ms O'Rourke meets EU transport commissioner to discuss state aid for Aer Lingus (Brussels); Central Bank publishes handbook to restricted activity investment product intermediaries and authorised advisers; Minister for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs Mr Tom Kitt gives details of dual pricing campaign starting today under National Code on Euro Changeover; Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development publishes annual programme of events 2001-02.
Tuesday
Results: Jazz FM, Neopost (H1).
AGMs: Monsoon, West 175 Media.
Meetings: US Federal Reserve's open markets committee meets; Bord Iascaigh Mhara international seafood seminar and trade fair (Burlington Hotel, Dublin); IBEC advisory forum and workshops for large energy users (Great Southern Hotel, Dublin Airport).
Indicators: EMU unemployment (Aug) and business, consumer and overall economic sentiment (Aug); Irish Exchequer returns (Q3); Italian business confidence (Aug) and wages (Aug); French consumer confidence (Sep).
Wednesday
Results: JJB Sports (H1), Sportsworld Media Group.
AGMs: Misys.
Indicators: EMU producer prices (Aug), retail sales (Jul), composite and services indices (Sep) and business climate indicator (Aug); Irish index of employment in construction (Jul); British services index (Sep); US National Association of Purchasing Managers' non-manufacturing index (Sep); french services index (Sep); Italian services index (Sep).
Others: Public holiday in Germany; British Airways issues traffic figures.
Thursday
Results: Ted Baker (H1).
AGMs: Black Arrow, West Bromwich Albion.
Meetings: Irish Association of Corporate Treasurers breakfast seminar on e-treasury (Conrad Hotel, Dublin); Irish Direct Marketing Association annual congress (Burlington Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: EMU labour costs and earnings (Q2); US factory orders (Aug); German services index (Sep).
Friday
Results: Oce (Q3), Savills (H1).
AGMs: Abbey, Knowledge Management, Pure Entertainment Games (e.g.m.).
Indicators: Irish unemployment (Sep); US unemployment (Sep), consumer credit (Aug), average hourly earnings (Sep) and average working week (Sep); German industry orders (Aug) and consumer prices (Sep); Japanese household spending (Aug).
