THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY

Companies

Tomkins, the Hovis-to-Smith and Wesson conglomerate has been enjoying a revival in its shares since the bread price rise in March. Many analysts think the group badly needs another mega bid but chief executive Greg Hutchings has ruled this out. Pre tax profit in 1994 was pounds 257.1m and analysts at Nat West Securities predict pounds 305 while UBS is more cautious with a forecast of pounds 300m.

Interims: AG Barr, and Low & Bonar

Finals: Border Television, Break for the Border, Carclo Engineering, Continental Foods, Drew Scientific, Ellis & Everard, Kenwood, Leopold Joseph, Maring Industries

Economics

The producer price figures for June will be scrutinised for evidence of inflation pressure passing along the pipeline. Lower oil prices will partly offset rises in other input prices.Analysts are expecting a rise of 0.5 per cent in materials costs while factory gate prices are expected to rise by about 0.2 per cent, taking the underlying annual rate to about 4.6 per cent. Britain's whole world trade deficit for April may rise to perhaps pounds 800m, mainly due to the deterioration in trade with non-EU countries.

US consumer credit for May.

TUESDAY

Companies

A strong retail performance helped womenswear group Jacques Vert to improve profits at the half-year stage. New chief executive David Tiedman will be hoping that operating profits from the department store concessions and stand alone shops, which nearly quadrupled in the first six months, will continue.

The company, is hoping the addition of new ranges added last year will help lift sales above last year's profit of pounds 2.1m. A new pounds 400,000 system at its northern factory is expected to have brought more flexible production schedules.

Finals: Real Time Control, Rexmore, Triplex Lloyd, Wormington

Economics

Official industrial output figures have been far weaker than survey data suggest. The CSO is expected to announce modest increases in manufacturing output and total production for May, after falls in April. An important day for Japanese statistics, with the monthly report of the Economic Planning Agency, machinery orders for May and wholesale prices for June. Economists think prices continued their downward march last month.

WEDNESDAY

Companies

Benefits from last year's pounds 8m restructuring should be apparent in HP Bulmer's results for the 12 months to April. Analysts are pitching for a pounds 3m increase in the cider company's underlying pre-tax profits to around pounds 24.5m, accompanied by an increase in the final dividend from 6.8p to 7.25p.

There could be a surprise accounting adjustment of up to pounds 1m, however, as the company adopts Taunton Cider's more prudent treatment of depreciation on cider taps that the company installs in pubs. Bulmer has only ever made a small annual provision on the taps, which are often scrapped after a short time as publicans change the mix of drinks they sell.

A profit warning in April should ensure no surprises from Cray Electronics. More than pounds 166m was wiped off the share price of the company when it said profits for the current year will not exceed pounds 10m, compared to pounds 26m in the previous year. An ill-advised global spending spree is behind the company's troubles.

Interims: BWD Securities, Casket, DC Cook, Stanley Leisure

THURSDAY

Companies

Mail order giant Great Universal Stores is expected to report profits of pounds 560m compared to last year's pounds 518m according to Kleinwort Benson.

Second half profits are likely to have been affected by the unseasonable weather. Analysts will also look for an improved performance at the South African electricals subsidiary

Finals: Druck Holdings, GUS, Greene King

Economics

The headline rate of retail price inflation for June is widely expected to rise again, to 3.5 per cent from 3.4 per cent in May.

The government's target measure, RPI excluding mortgage interest payments, could edge up too, to 2.8 per cent.

This is ahead of the 2.5 per cent target. Price pressures include food, clothing and footwear, and household goods, but a drop in seasonal food prices and weak demand for housing-related goods mean the upward inflation move will be limited.

US producer prices are expected to have shown only a small increase last month. Their year-on-year rate of increase is running at just over 2 per cent.

US weekly initial jobless claims, weekly money supply.

FRIDAY

Companies

The rapidly expanding Pelican restaurants group is set to serve up some food for thought with its figures for the year to March. Taxable profits should rise from pounds 2.51m to pounds 4m, and analysts expect the trading report will underline their forecasts that extend beyond pounds 8m for the current year.

Today's result, while sharply up on last year, will be retarded by costs of setting up a new head office and changes made to the 30 or so outlets acquired during the year.

Finals: British Bloodstock Agency

Economics:

The CBI's latest monthly survey of the distributive trades provides the first chance to take the pulse of the high street.

US consumer prices in May reached their highest annual rate of increase in more than two years, at 3.1 per cent.

The market view is that last month's inflation rate will be the same.

US retail sales are likely to have picked up last month, with anecdotal evidence of strong department store sales.