Although a raft of blue-chip US and British companies report results this week, most attention will be elsewhere. In Britain, the Bank of England is widely expected to start cutting interest rates with a quarter-point cut on Thursday to 5.75 per cent. It would be the absence of such a cut rather than its arrival that would fuel market reaction.
In the US, second-quarter results from technology giant Cisco tomorrow are not expected to surprise. Instead, analysts will look at the company's view for the second half of the year after the recent statement by chief executive Mr John Chambers that business was getting "more challenging".
At home, inflation figures on Friday should show a continuation of the downward trend begin last month.
Monday
Results: Adidas Salomon, British Airways (Q3), Pepsi-Cola (Q4); Pizza Express (H1), Rio Tinto.
A.G.M.: Grampian (e.g.m.), L Gardner Group (e.g.m.), Treatt.
Indicators: EMU composite purchasing managers' index (Jan), producer prices (Dec) and business climate index (Jan); Irish NCB PMI - services (Jan); US housing completions (Dec); German PMI services (Jan); Italian PMI services (Jan); British official reserves (Jan) and M0 data (Jan).
Others: European of the Year award (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin).
Tuesday
Results: Amvescap, BOC (H1), Cisco (Q2), CVS (Q4), Emerson (Q1), Epic Group, Galen Holdings (Q1), Henderson TR Pacific, Marriott Int'l (Q4), Metsa-Serla, Ryanair (Q3), Scania, Securitas, Target (Q4), Trelleborg, UPMKymmene.
Meetings: Goodbodys Stockbrokers host SummIT 2001 (O'Reilly Hall, UCD to Wed); Conference on "Blue Skies, Green Horizons - A Commercial Approach to Environmental Responsibility" (Waterfront Hall, Belfast).
Indicators: EMU retail sales (Nov); British manufacturing output (Dec) and industrial production (Dec); German unemployment (Jan).
Others: Chambers of Commerce of Ireland publishes Winning the War for Talent: Staff Recruitment and Retention Strategies for SMEs; Mock unfair dismissal hearing (Law Society, Dublin).
Wednesday
Results: Amer, Anheuser Busch (Q4)Antisoma (Q2), BSkyB, BWD Securities, Eagle Eye Telematics, Electronic Data Systems (Q4), McGraw-Hill (Q4), Northamber (H1), Regent Inns (H1), Schering, Verizon Coomunications (Q4).
A.G.M.: Granada Compass, Granada Media.
Meetings: Conference on partnership in training and lifelong learnings (Dublin Castle).
Indicators: US productivity (Q4), unit labour costs (Q4) and consumer credit (Dec); French consumer confidence (Jan); German manufacturing new orders (Dec).
Others: ISME publishes report on management development and training in SMEs.
Thursday
Results: AstraZeneca, Barclays, BT (Q3), Cedant (Q4), Gannett (Q4), ICC Bank, ICI (Q4), Mersey Docks & Harbour, Philips, Preussag, Riverdeep (Q2), Royal Dutch/Shell, Signet (Q4), Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (Q4), Unilever.
A.G.M.: API Group, Greencore Group.
Meetings: Bank of England monetary policy committee announces decision on interest rates; Dublin Chamber of Commerce seminar on managing diversity in the workforce; IAPF seminar on "Family Law and Pensions: What Trustees Should Know".
Indicators: British housing starts/completions (Dec) and construction new orders (Feb); US wholesale trade (Dec); German industrial production (Dec).
Others: DHL Exporter of the Year award (Commons restaurant, Dublin); Microelectronics Industry Design Association is launched (Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin).
Friday
Results: Electrolux, Heavitree, Telia.
Indicators: Irish inflation (Jan) and industrial production (Q3); Italian industrial orders (Nov).
