After Glanbia's downbeat results presentation last week, analysts will be looking for brighter news form the star of the sector, Kerry Group.
Davy has pencilled in operating profits of €202 million, a rise of 16 per cent, although the pre-tax figure will be lower because of exceptional items. Adjusted earnings per share are forecast to rise by almost 19 per cent to 72.5 cents.
IMF post: EU finance ministers meet in Brussels today to prepare for a special employment summit in Lisbon later this month but the possibility of consensus on a replacement EU candidate for the vacant IMF chief's post will attract greater immediate interest. It looks increasingly likely that Germany may succeed second time around with Mr Horst Kohler, currently head of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, getting the nod but the fate of its previous candidate means they will leave little to chance.
Monday
Results: Bovis Homes, Brake Brothers, Candover Investments, Fairey Group, Gibbs & Dandy, Gowrings, Heywood Williams, Mallett, Medical Solutions, Mucklow (A&J) Group (H1), Parkwood Holdings, Premier Oil, Rabobank, Roxboro Group, Stat-Plus Group.
A.G.M.: Artisan (UK) (e.g.m.).
Meetings: EU finance ministers (Brussels to Tues); Institute of Engineers host ethics symposium (Smurfit Graduate School, UCD).
Indicators: British producer prices (Feb).
Others: Jurys Doyle Hotel Group unveils new brand identity; Bank for International Settlements holds regular meeting of Group of 10 and other central bankers.
Tuesday
Results: Abbot Group, Asda Properties Holdings, Brammer, Britax International, Carillion, Charter, Credit Suisse, Dicom Group (H1), Financial Objects, Headlam, ICC Bank, Kerry, Macfarlane, Metalrax, Michelin, Morgan Crucible Co, National Express, Sanderson Bramall, Trafficmaster, Vanguard Medica, Wolseley.
A.G.M.: Southnews (e.g.m.), Tarsus Group.
Meetings: Aer Rianta's chief executive Mr John Burke addresses Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants breakfast (Burlington Hotel, Dublin).
Indicators: Irish consumer prices (Feb); US retail sales (Feb) and Atlanta Federal Index (Feb); French current account (Dec).
Others: DIT Enterprise Awards (Dublin Castle Conference Centre).
Wednesday
Results: BASF, Britt Allcroft (H1), Clydeport, Continental, Danone, DCS Group, Devro, Eni, Frogmore Estates (H1), Intercare Group, Kuoni, Litho Supplies, McKechnie (H1), Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Northern Leisure (H1), Reckitt Benckiser, Smiths Industries (H1), Superscape (H1), Thomson-CSF, Tilbury Douglas, Tractebel, VNU.
A.G.M.: Ennstone (e.g.m.), First Choice, Philipp Holzmann (e.g.m.).
Indicators: British unemployment (Feb), average earnings (Jan) and unit wages (Jan); US business inventories (Jan), import/export prices (Feb), capacity utilisation (Feb) and industrial production (Feb); Italian industrial production (Jan).
Others: London Stock Exchange holds extraordinary meeting to vote on demutualisation.
Thursday
Results: Alfred McAlpine, Alvis, Black (A & C), Chesterton Int'l (H1), Churchill China, Freeserve (Q3), Geest, Premier Farnell, Flomerics, Hunting, ING, Kier Group (H1), Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, Pernod Ricard, P&O, RMC, Suez Lyonnaise, Swatch, Trinity Mirror.
A.G.M.: Domino Printing (e.g.m.).
Meetings: European Central Bank council meeting; EU internal market ministers meet (Brussels).
Indicators: British retail sales (Feb); US Philadelphia Federal Survey (Mar), producer prices (Feb), housing starts (Feb) and housing permits (Feb); Japanese industrial production (Jan).
Friday
Results: Gioma Restaurants, Johnson Service Group.
A.G.M.: Jarvis Hotels (e.g.m.), Keystone Software (e.g.m.), Reynold (e.g.m.).
Meetings: EU trade and economy ministers discuss how to get world trade negotiations back on track (Oporto to Sat).
Indicators: US consumer prices (Feb), real earnings (Feb) and Michigan Sentiment Survey (Mar); French trade balance (Jan).
Others: St Patrick's Day holiday Dublin markets closed.
