The continuing economic crisis in south-east Asia together with benign inflation data should ensure that all-important US interest rates are left unchanged in the Federal Open Market Committee's last meeting of the year, despite ongoing strong growth in the economy. Any rise, especially in the light of the Korean market's renewed collapse towards the end of last week would be a surprise.
Monday
Results: Channel Holdings (H1), First Ireland (H1), Fountain Forestry, Hadleigh (H1), Irish Dairy Board, MFI Furniture Group (H1), ML Laboratories, Optometrics (H1), Phonelink (H1), Plysu (H1).
A.G.M.: Ardagh, Henderson Far East Inc, Kleinwort Second End, Mercury Keystone, Scottish Value Trust, Sherwood Group (e.g.m.), Sterling Publishing (e.g.m.).
Meetings: EU environment ministers meet (Brussels to Tues); EU farm ministers meet (Brussels to Tues).
Indicators: US industrial production (Oct) and capacity utilisation (Oct); Italian industrial production (Oct).
Tuesday
Results: Batleys (H1), Caspian Group, Computerland UK (H1), Euclidian (H1), First Choice Holiday, Greenalls Group, Hill Samuel UK Emerging, Kenwood Appliances (H1), Securicor, Toad (H1), Universal Salvage (H1), Utilitec (H1), Zergo (H1).
A.G.M.: Albert Fisher Group, Chesterton, Chloride Group, Edinburgh Dragon Tst, Exeter Investment Group, Foreign & Col Eurotrust, Manx & Overseas, Vardon (e.g.m.), Westpac Banking.
Meetings: Policy making Federal Open Market Committee meets to deliberate interest rates.
Indicators: Japanese industrial production (Nov); British PSBR (Nov); US consumer prices (Nov), housing starts (Nov) and real earnings (Nov); Italian wholesale prices (Oct) and producer prices (Oct); Canadian manufacturing new orders (Oct).
Others: Reuters year-end poll of expectations for 20 equity markets worldwide; Japanese Liberal Democratic Party announces its plans for boosting the Japanese economy.
Wednesday
Results: Carpetright (H1), Chemring Group, Druck Holdings (H1), Legal & General Recovery, Matthew Clark (H1).
A.G.M.: Bett Bros, Fleming Japanese, Galliford (e.g.m.), Hollas Group, Town Centre Securities.
Indicators: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Economic Outlook with economic forecasts for member countries; British retail sales (Nov), average earnings (Oct), wage costs (Oct) and unemployment (Nov); Japanese trade balance (Nov); Canadian composite index (Nov).
Others: BCO Technologies floats on the Dublin market; Diageo (Guinness/Grand Met) debut on market; European Commission rules on planned French support measures for state-controlled Credit Lyonnais; European Commissioner Karel van Miert presents directive to colleagues on the approval of a draft legislation to ensure fair competition in situations where telecommunications companies also own or operate cable networks such as Telecom Eireann; British Chancellor Gordon Brown gives evidence to the treasury committee on his pre-budget report.
Thursday
Results: ASDA (H1), Belhaven Brewery (H1), Creative Publishing (H1), Fine Art Development, Jones Stroud Holdings (H1), London Merchant Securities, Ptarmigan Int Cap (H1), Warner Estate Holdings.
A.G.M.: Air London International, Airtech (e.g.m.), Broadgate Investment, Edinburgh Inca Trust, Finsbury Growth, Finsbury Trust, Govett Strategic, Grantchester, Kwik Save, Morgan Grenfell Equity, Gn Great Nordic Holdings, J Smart Contractors, Westpac Banking Corp.
Meetings: Bundesbank council convenes for regular policy meeting.
Indicators: British building societies' net mortgage approvals (Nov), motor vehicle production (Nov) and M4 data (Nov); US weekly jobless claims, international trade (Oct), Philadelphia Fed Survey (Dec) and weekly monetary data; Canadian wholesale trade (Oct).
Others: South Korea scheduled to receive cash injection from IMF; Federal Reserve releases minutes from the November 12th Federal Open Market Committee policy meeting.
Friday
Results: Kelsey Industries.
A.G.M.: Galaxy Media Corp, Ivory & Sime Enter Cap, Kleinwort Overseas (e.g.m.), Lowland Investment, Nursing Home Properties (e.g.m.), Seafield (e.g.m.).
Indicators: French industrial production (Oct); Italian unemployment (Oct); Canadian consumer prices (Nov) and retail sales (Oct).
