This week: Bank weighs rates in a heated climate

Despite the preponderance of results - 11 FTSE companies will release statements - the macro economy will be the focus of attention this week.

The Bank of England's monetary policy committee begins its consideration of interest rates on Tuesday, and an announcement is due at midday on Wednesday. Analysts are split over their forecasts, with half expecting the base rate to stay at 5.5 per cent and the remainder looking for a 25 basis-point reduction.

The MPC meets as economic activity heats up on the other side of the Atlantic. Data released last week showed that United States output expanded by 6.1 per cent in the final quarter of last year - far greater than the government estimate of 5.6 per cent.

Fears that the next move in US rates may be upwards knocked share prices in both America and Britain late last week. The FTSE 100 index hit a record high of 6307.6 on Wednesday, only to retreat by more than 130 points as American worries grew.

Investors will have an eye on conditional dealings of shares in South African Breweries today. As part of shifting its primary listing to London SAB offered 70 million shares to the market. At the close of the offer last week, the group's issue was believed to be only modestly oversubscribed.

TODAY Interims: Close Brothers, Domestic & General, Hays, McBride, Redrow. Finals: Aegis, Aggreko, Bisichi Mining, Billiton, Burmah Castrol, Dixon Motors, Grafton Group, Hodder Headline, London & Associated Properties, Marshalls, Ocean Group, Perkins Foods, Sherwood International, Sun Life & Provincial Holdings.

TOMORROW Interims: Britt Allcroft, News Communications & Media. Finals: Arriva, BPP Holdings, CRH, Epwin Group, Gallaher, Hickson Internatl, Jardine Lloyd Thompson, Millenium & Copthorne, Norwich Union, PSD Group, Rentokil Internatl, RJB Mining, Wates City of London Properties.

WEDNESDAY Interims: Photobition, S Lyles. Finals: William Baird, Britannic, Cookson Group, Dawson International, GKN, Jacobs Holdings, Parity, Psion, Serco Group, Thistle Hotels, Wilson Bowden.

THURSDAY Finals: Elementis, Furlong Homes Group, Oxford Glycosciences, PowerGen, Rolls Royce, Sanderson, Bramall Motor, Total Office Group, Vickers, Williams.

FRIDAY Interims: Thorntons. Finals: United News & Media, Greggs, Limelight.