The ongoing uncertainty surrounding the merger of Bank of Ireland and Alliance & Leicester will continue to be the focus of attention for analysts and investors this week.
Until the regulatory structure is clarified and approved by the authorities in the Republic and Britain, there will be no chance for either party to initiate a concerted effort to woo wary institutional investors.
Markets: Jittery global financial markets will focus firmly on US data in the coming week for clues to market direction. Fresh signs of weakening European economies are not seen as enough to prompt a new rate cut when the European Central Bank meets.
The key indicator will be US unemployment on Friday. Strong data would add to market fears that a hike in interest rates would happen sooner rather than later.
Monday
A.G.M.: Chepstow Racecourse, Olivetti.
Meetings: Conference on mineral exploration.
Indicators: EU industrial production (Mar); Japanese construction orders (Apr) and housing starts (Apr); Italian producer prices (Apr).
Others: US and British markets closed for bank holiday; National College of Ireland and Dublin Docklands Development Authority announce details of new Docklands Campus.
Tuesday
Results: BAA, Character Group (H1), EMAP, Greencore (H1), Holiday Break (H1), Landround (H1), Real Time Control, Scottish Investment Trust (H1).
A.G.M.: Brooke Industrial (e.g.m.), Calderburn (e.g.m.), Singer & Friedlander, TBI (e.g.m.), Tempus.
Meetings: Society of Actuaries seminar on PRSAs.
Indicators: EU purchasing managers index (May); British purchasing managers' index (May); US National Association of Purchasing Managers (May), construction spending (Apr), leading indicators (Apr) and motor vehicle production (May); Japanese unemployment (Apr), foreign reserves (May) and job ratio (Apr); French unemployment (Apr), housing starts (Apr) and purchasing managers' index (May); Italian purchasing managers index (May); German purchasing managers' index (May).
Wednesday
Results: Apollo Metals (H1), Blick (H1), Eldridge Pope & Co (H1), Invensys, MEPC (H1), Merant, Mid Kent Holdings, Prelude Trust, New Look, J Sainsbury, United Drug (H1), Yorkshire Water.
A.G.M.: Foreign & Colonial Pacific, Forminster, Highcroft Investment, ILP Group, Jarvis Porter, Kingfisher (e.g.m.), Parity, Peterhouse Group, Proudfoot, Signet Group, Silvermines, Tarsus (e.g.m.), Taylor and Francis.
Meetings: European central bank governing and general council meetings (Frankfurt); US Chamber of Commerce of Ireland business breakfast (Jurys Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: Irish Exchequer Borrowing Requirement (May); British consumer credit (Apr), official reserves (Jun) and CBI distributive trades survey (May); US new home sales (Apr).
Thursday
Results: Air France, Axel Springer Verlag, Boots Company, Hyder, NFC (H1), NHP (H1), Pilkington.
A.G.M.: Arcon, Clinton Cards, Laura Ashley Holdings, Lionheart, Nestle, NRP, Qualceram, Surrey Group (e.g.m.).
Meetings: European Union summit (Cologne to Fri); British Chambers of Commerce annual conference (Glasgow to Fri).
Indicators: US factory orders (Apr); Japanese household spending (Apr).
Others: Special meeting of the World Trade Organisation's Dispute Settlement Body at request of United States, at which it will seek permission to impose $202 million of sanctions against the European Union in the beef hormone row; Federation of European Stock Exchanges holds its general assembly and convention to establish joint committee with European Committee of Options and Futures Exchanges (Milan to Fri).
Friday
Results: Gartmore Shared Equity Trust, Osbourne & Little.
A.G.M.: Booker (e.g.m.), Environmental Properties, Tesco.
Indicators: EU business survey (May), consumer confidence (May) and industry confidence (May); Irish credit data (Apr) and unemployment (May); US unemployment (May), average hourly earnings (May), average working week (May) and housing completions (Apr); Japanese leading indicators (Apr); French household survey (May).
Others: Tesco produces trading statement.
