Latin America is the latest region to feel the cold wind of stock market jitters emanating from the politically and economically unstable Russia. Its decline towards the end of last week bodes ill for any short-term stability on global markets, particularly in the light of Wall Street's inability to decide which way to jump. One of the most interesting figures in the weeks ahead will be that for US consumer credit, due out tomorrow, which might begin to give an indication of how ordinary US consumers view the Asian and Russian crises, especially as 41 per cent of all Americans have a stake in the stock markets.
Irish inflation: Analaysts are looking at a further rise in the annual rate of inflation in August when the figures are published on Thursday. ABNAmro estimates that higher rents and the fact that food prices may not mirror a fall in the same month last year will offset the positive influence of lower oil prices and the downward pressure on clothing and footwear prices of the poor summer weather. It predicts a rise from 2.7 per cent in Jul to 3 per cent in August but argues this should be the peak for the year.
Monday
Results: Adwest Automotive, Billiton, Bodycote International (H1), British Vita (H1), Bryant Group, Burmah Castrol (H1), Candover Invs (H1), Dewhirst Group (H1), Epic Multimedia, Forth Ports (H1), Gaskell (H1), Haynes Publishing, Hodder Headline (H1), IFG Group (H1), Gaskell (H1), Photobition, PPL Therapeutics (H1), Relyone (H1), Ryland Group (H1), WSP Group (H1).
Indicators: Japanese wholesale prices (Aug); German industrial production (Jul).
Others: US markets closed for Labor Day public holiday.
Tuesday
Results: Aggregate Industries (H1), William Baird (H1), BBA Group (H1), Brammer (H1), Charter (H1), Expamet International (H1), Fisher International (H1), Fisher (James) (H1), Hillsdown Holdings (H1), Holmes Place (H1), Huntleigh Technology (H1), Iceland Group (H1), IMI (H1), Jardine Lloyd Thompson (H1), Norwich Union (H1), Novara (H1), Pentland Group (H1), P&O (H1), Scottish Media Group (H1), Simon Group (H1), Staffware (H1), Taylor Woodrow (H1), Williams (H1), Yule Catto & Co (H1).
Indicators: British industrial production (Jul) and manufacturing output (Jul); German unemployment (Aug); US consumer credit (Jul).
Wednesday
Results: Albright & Wilson (H1), Assoc British Ports (H1), Beazer Homes, Caradon (H1), Coats Viyella (H1), Devro (H1), Domestic & General Group, Gearhouse, Glynwed International (H1), Grolsch (H1), Logica, LucasVarity (H1), Peptide Therapeutics (H1), Premier Oil (H1), PSD Group (H1), Rugby Group (H1), Russell (Alexander) (H1), SGB Group (H1), Signet Group (H1), Societe Generale (H1), Tempus (H1), Thistle Hotels (H1), United News & Media (H1).
A.G.M.: Dixons, Great Universal Stores, Savills, David S Smith.
Meetings: British monetary policy committee meets (to Thurs).
Indicators: US wholesale trade (Jul); German GDP (Q2) and consumer prices (Aug).
Others: France's 1999 budget bill, which aims to cut the deficit to about 240 billion francs from Ffr258 billion in 1998, to be presented to cabinet.
Thursday
Results: ASK Central (H1), BNP (H1), BTR (H1), James Beattie (H1), Bentalls (H1), Booker (H1), Brierley Inv, Centrica (H1), Courtaulds Textiles (H1), Dawsongroup (H1), EBC Group (H1), Gallaher (H1), Goldsmiths Group (H1), Hanson (H1), Heywood Williams (H1), Highcroft Inv (H1), John Laing (H1), Laird Group (H1), Linton Park (H1), Mirror Group (H1), National Express (H1), Paribas (H1), Peak Intl Group (H1), Pendragon (H1), Peterhouse Group (H1), Queen Moat Houses (H1), Rathbone Brothers (H1), Rio Tinto (H1), Sema Group (H1), Shell (H1), Sirdar, Stavert Zigomola, Soco International (H1), SpiraxSarco (H1), Trafficmaster (H1), United Biscuits (H1), Yorklyde (H1).
A.G.M.: Heiton Holdings.
Meetings: Japan's Economic Strategy Council's second meeting; EU Commission meets to discuss Russian crisis.
Indicators: Irish consumer prices (Aug), total external trade (May) and planning permissions (Q2); British housing starts/completions (Jul), construction new orders (Jul) and CBI distributive trades survey (Aug); Japanese machinery orders (Jul); German cost of living (Aug); US weekly jobs and monetary data.
Others: PWC/Irish Times National Innovation Awards (Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin).
Friday
Results: British Regional Air Lines (H1), Dean Corp (H1), Group Trust (H1), Hanson (H1), Heineken (H1), Lionheart (H1), Television Corp (H1), Wood (Arthur & Son) (H1).
Meetings: European central bank monthly governing council meeting (Frankfurt).
Indicators: Irish index of employment in construction (Jul); US producer prices (Aug); Japanese GDP (Q2); German retail sales (Jul); French current accoutn (Jun) and consumer prices (Jul)
