Domestic growth is seen as the key to a rise in profits at Irish Life, which reports annual figures on Thursday ahead of its merger with Irish Permanent. Embedded value earnings are forecast to rise by up to 10 per cent to between €150 million and €160 million (£118£126 million) from €144.5 million (£113.8 million) in 1997, with earnings per share of between 47.4 cents and 50.3 cents from 46.1 cents.
Ireland, which accounts for 60 per cent of the State's largest assurer's business, is seen as the reason why the group will better its peers in the British market. Earnings from the US, which accounts for about a third of Irish Life's business, is the one area of uncertainty in the run-up to the results.
Glanbia:
Avonmore Waterford Group releases its first set of annual figures under its new livery this week, with the market looking for profits of up to €95.2 million against a pre-tax loss of almost €150 million last year due to the costs involved in the merging of the two former co-ops into the agri-business group. Analysts will also be looking for further signals on the future of the group red meat operations following speculation that these will be sold of by the group which is the largest dairy processor and animal feed producer in Ireland.
Monday
Results: BASF, Benchmark Group (H1), Bovis Homes, Burford Holdings, Ennstone, Eurotunnel, Glanbia, Infobank International, Jourdan (H1), Laporte, Linden, Michelin, Natural Building Materials, NSB Retail Systems, Ruberoid, Sharpe & Fisher, Schindler, Spirax-Sarco, Superscape VR (H1), Ugland, Wellington Holdings.
A.G.M.: Volvo (e.g.m.).
Meetings: VHI chief executive Oliver Tattan addresses monthly lunch of Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants (Burlginton Hotel, Dublin); Conference on "Merging insurance and financial risk the next five years" (to Tues); European Union finance ministers meet (Brussels); EU agriculture ministers meet (Brussels to Tues)
Others: MMI liquidator back in court; Committee investigating fraud allegations linked to members of the European Commission due to report in Brussels; Date by which World Trade Organisation arbitrators have sought more information from the United States and the European Union in banana trade row.
Tuesday
Results:
Bayer, Bodycote, Brammer, Britax International, Capital Corporation, Charter, Coca Cola Beverages, Computacenter, Cortecs (H1), Credit Suisse Group, Derwent Valley, Dorling Kindersley (H1), Energis, Financial Objects, James Finlay, Headlam Group, Newey Group, Novartis, Simon Group, Tarmac, Telewest Communications, Tudor, Wood & Arthur (H1), Wolseley (H1).
Meetings:
European Policy Centre holds breakfast meeting on "The Future Of The World Trade Organisation: Where Is It Going?" addressed by European Commission vice-president Sir Leon Brittan (Brussels).
Others:
Mr Philip Ryan, acting director of EU Commission representation in Ireland opens exhibition on euro.
Wednesday
Results:
Birmingham Midshires Building Societies, Brixton Estate, CIC, Clydeport, Danone, DCS Group, Devro, France Telecom, Gibbs and Dandy, Hepworth, Kier Group (H1), Kingfisher, Oriflame, Schering, Sirdar (H1), Smiths Industries (H1).
Meetings:
Bank of France Monetary Policy Council meeting.
Others:
St Patrick's Day national holiday in Ireland.
Thursday
Results:
Alfred McAlpine, Axa, British Borneo, Canal+, Churchill China, Cobham, Deutsche Bank, Dialog Corp, Geest, Hanover International, Hoescht, Irish Life, Kuoni, Kwik Fit, Laing, LVMH, MDIS, Mithras, Willaim Morrison, National Express, St James Place, Thorpe (H1), Town Centre Securities (H1), Tractabel, Trinity.
A.G.M.: Lonrho.
Meetings:
European central bank governing council meeting; Institute of European Affairs round table discussion with Prof Colm Kearney of the ESRI on "The IMF and the New International Financial Architecture".
Others:
Ombudsman, Mr Kevin Murphy, publishes annual report; Danish central bank annual report.
Friday
Results:
Fortnum & Mason (H1), Henlys Group, Irish Distillers, Pernod Ricard.
Meetings:
ASEAN finance ministers meeting (Hanoi to Sat)
Others:
ESRI announces details on report to Government; British Federation of Small Businesses holds annual conference (Blackpool); European Investment Bank annual news conference (Paris).
