With Ulster Bank announcing on Friday that it was standing up to the challenge thrown down by Northern Rock, attention this week will focus on the reaction of the other banks in protecting their savings business.
The bets are that some action will have to be taken although how many are likely to go as far as Ulster remains to be seen. After all, Ulster can afford to make grand gestures in the knowledge that it may well be in new hands shortly, allowing it an opt-out if the head-to-head competition proves too costly.
Monday
Results: 600 Group (H1), Benckiser (Q3), Cinemedia (Q3), Ferraris Group, Grantchester Holdings, Majestic Wine (H1), NetCom (Q3), Quintain Estates (H1), RM, Southnews (H1), Torotrack (H1).
A.G.M.: AB Engineering (e.g.m.), Ring.
Meetings: Deloitte & Touche chief executives' forum (O'Reilly Hall, UCD).
Indicators: US federal budget (Oct); Italian retail sales (Sep) and consumer prices (Nov).
Others: First closing date for offer by Mannesmann for British mobile phone firm Orange; Takeover bid by LVMH for Tag Heuer expires.
Tuesday
Results: Abacus Polar Group, Ahold (Q3), Alstom (H1), Anglo Irish Bank, Baltimore Technology (Q3), Chrysalis, Cosalt, Data Fellows (Q3), De La Rue (H1), EMI Group (H1), Energis (H1), Enterprise Inns, Kinnevik (Q3), London Merchant Securities, Oxford Industries (H1), Sainsbury's (H1), SHL Group, Swisscom (Q3), Trifast (H1), UBS (Q3), Universal Salvage, Victoria (H1).
A.G.M.: Finmeccanica (e.g.m.).
Meetings: Seminar on Opportunities and Risks in an Evolving Global Climate (RDS, Dublin); Overview of cross-Border taxation issues for small business, North & South (Canal Court Hotel, Newry).
Indicators: British GDP (Q3), non-EU trade (Oct) and world trade (Sep); US durable goods orders (Oct); French consumer spending (Oct) and industrial production (Sep); Italian EU trade (Sep) and non-EU trade (Oct).
Others: Barclays introduces Save As You Earn share option schemes in Ireland; Chartered Accountants Published Accounts Awards (Burlington Hotel); Members of Bank of England's monetary policy committee attend hearing of British parliament's Treasury Select Committee; Publication of booklet on "Science and Technology Research in Irish Universities" by Conference of Heads of Irish Universities.
Wednesday
Results: Austrian Airlines (Q3), Austria Tabak (Q3), Booker, Bristol Water Holdings, Caffyns, CCF (Q3), Dailywin Group, Granada Group, ING (Q3), Invensys, Kingston Communications, Meyer, National Power (H1), Phonak (H1), South African Breweries, Waddington.
Meetings: Confederation of European Paper Industries annual meeting (Brussels).
Indicators: US real GDP (Q3), GDP deflator (Q3), final sales (Q3), New York National Association of Purchasing Managers (Nov), Michigan Sentiment Survey (Nov) and help wanted index (Nov); Japanese retail sales (Oct); German consumer prices (Oct).
Others: European Commission to publish its autumn economic forecasts for the European Union and euro zone and its 1999 annual economic report; German parliament meeting on 2000 budget (to Fri).
Thursday
Results: 3i (H1), Baldwins Industrial (H1), BPB (H1), Bristol United Press (H1), Comino (H1), Finnair (H1), New Look Group (H1), Oriental Restaurant (H1), Plasmon (H1), RPC Group (H1), Safeway (H1), Syltone (H1).
Meetings: EU budget ministers meet (Brussels to Fri); Franco-British summit (London); ASEAN finance ministers meet (Manila); European Chemical Industry Council holds 1999 Economic Conference (Brussels).
Indicators: EMU current account (Sep); Irish GDP (Q1), British monthly trends survey (Oct); French GDP (Q3) and consumer prices (Oct).
Others: US Thanksgiving public holiday; American Chamber of Commerce Ireland Thanksgiving business lunch (Conrad Hotel, Dublin); Paper on The Importance of Structural Change in Industry for Economic Growth is presented to Statistical and Social Inquiry Society for Ireland.
Friday
Results: Euromoney, Fortis (Q3), Merrydown (H1).
Meetings: Bank of Japan policy board meets.
Indicators: Irish planning permissions (Q3) and retail sales (Sep); US personal income/spending (Nov); Japanese consumer prices (Oct/Nov); French industry survey (Nov).
