THE WEEK AHEAD
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Companies
Finals: Edinburgh Dragon Trust, Fleming Inc & Capital, Kleinwort Second, MY Holdings, Royal Bank of Canada
Interims: Davenport Knitwear, Delyn Group, Dumyat Investment Trust, Dunloe House, Fairbriar, Kleinwort Endowment, Ross Group, Shiloh
Annual meetings: Gartmore Scotland Trust, GT Japan Inv Trust, Murray Income Trust, NM Smaller Australian.
EGMs: Aran Energy, GT Chile Growth, Millgate, Trio Hlds
Economics
The slowdown in the economy is likely to mean a smaller increase in GDP in the third quarter. Today's preliminary figure - the most important in a quiet week for statistics - is expected to signal a 0.5 per cent increase in the quarter. This will take the year on year growth rate to 2.3 per cent - down from 2.8 per cent in the second quarter and 3.7 per cent in the first. This would be the lowest growth rate since mid-1993. Economists think both manufacturing and services have slowed.
TOMORROW
Companies
Expect shares in Wolseley, the builders merchant, to jump if
full year pre-tax profits are in excess of pounds 255m. The consensus is for pounds 245m, an increase of 21 per cent over 1994. However, the company is likely to be cautious on the prospects of its key markets, with uncertainty affecting the UK and a slowing down for Ferguson in the US. McKechnie, the plastics and consumer goods group, has also suffered from a depressed UK consumer market. However, brokers are looking for a substantial increase in 1995 pre-tax profits, with NatWest Markets expecting pounds 46.5m against pounds 32.2m last time. The 10 per cent increase in the interim dividend suggestsconfidence about the second half. But McKechnie's markets are unlikely to have improved and the outlook is still difficult in many areas.
Finals: Scottish Metro, Abtrust High Income Trust, London & St Lawrence.
Interims: Boxmore International, Edinburgh Investment Trust, HF Joel, London Securities, Ocean Wilson Holdings, Randfontein Estates, Silk Industries, Venturi Investment Trust, Yorklyde, Oceans Wilsons.
Annual meetings: Beatrix Mines, Bracken Mines, Buffelsfontein Mining, Dunedin Japan Inv, Grootvlei Proprietary, Kinross Mines, Leslie Gold Mines, Oryx Gold Holdings, St Helena Gold Mines, Sterling Publishing, Stilfontein Gold Mining, Stoves, Unisel Gold Mines, Winkelhaak Mines
EGMs: Scholl
Economics
Recent surveys have pointed to continuing slowdown in the manufacturing industry, and today's industrial trends survey from the Confederation of British Industry is unlikely to be an exception. Domestic order books have already weakened, and there have been signs that export orders are following suit. The City will watch the CBI prices balance for evidence cost pressures in the early stages of the inflation pipeline are easing. This reassurance is needed after disappointing retail figures for last month.
WEDNESDAY
Companies
Smiths Industries, the aerospace and defence engineer, is expected to report strong full- year results, with NatWest Markets predicting a 17 per cent increase on last year's pre-tax profits of pounds 117.2m. While profits from aquisitions will play a less significant role in the second half, the company looks well-placed to reap the benefits of a recovery in aerospace demand. Two slight worries are the flat performance of Smith's single- use medical business in the US and a suggestion the industrial business had seen some slowdown in demand during the second half.
Finals: UDO Holdings
Interims: Anglo St James, WPP Group, SmithKline Beecham
Annual meetings: Abtrust Latin American, Cala, Jos Holdings, Pacific Horizon Trust, Primadona.
EGMs: Aspen Communications, First Choice Holidays, Hicking Pentecost, Pacific Horizon Trust.
Economics
All eyes will be on the pounds 3bn gilts auction, the first after last month's embasrrassing flop. Also to be released are third-quarter statistics for bricks and cement production and deliveries and third-quarter mortgage possession actions and orders.
THURSDAY
Companies
Finals: Eurovein, Schroder Income Growth, Scottish Oriental Smaller, Majedie, Pressac Holdings, Schroder Income Growth, Morgan Grenfell Equity, Overseas Investment Trust
Interims: British & American Film, ICI, Kleinwort Emerging, NEC Corp, Toshiba Corp, Westbury.
Annual meetings: Dowding & Mills, Free State Development, Lister & Co, Quayle Munro Holdings
Economics: The 1995 earnings survey, broken down by industry, is published. Also released today: new vehicle registrations for September and August energy trends.
FRIDAY
Companies
Finals: Murray Enterprise.
Interims: Expamet International, Midland & Scottish Resources, Seafield
Annual meetings: Albermarle & Bond Holdings, Barnato Exploration, Cornwell Parker, Great Universal Stores, Quality Software Products, Randfontein estates, Regent Corp, Rubicon Group, Young Group.
EGMs: Fleming Japanese Trust, Menvier-Swain, Quality Software Products, Regent Corp
Economics
September statistics on mortgage lending by British banks. Digest of Agricultural Census statistics for UK -1994.
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