The week ahead...

There are more twists and turns on the corporate calendar than a rollercoaster next week, with pharmaceuticals, pub groups, housebuilders and nightclub owners all joining in on the fun.

Bovis Homes (BVS) kicks off proceedings with a report that should shed some light on the volatile housing market.

Given that results are likely to be in line with expectations following the detailed trading update published in mid-January, the market's focus will be upon current trading conditions and the group's progress as it seeks to increase asset turn through increased outlets and potential land swaps.

Nightclub owner Luminar (LMR) steps into the spotlight on Tuesday and the outlook is far from sparkling.

Analysts are predicting a fall in same outlet sales, having fallen in the previous three quarters, albeit at a slower rate thanks to a host of new initiatives brought in during the final quarter.

"If like-for-like trading stabilises during first quarter 2012, the share price could double, new equity financing could become an option, enabling expensive debt to be paid off and expansion to recommence. If like-for-like trading continues to fall, attention will return to covenant tests," said analyst Douglas Jack at Numis.

From nightclubs to international security, G4S (GFS) also gets a look-in on Tuesday. The group should hopefully publish positive figures from within a sector that has borne the brunt of cost cutting and bad press. Rival group Securitas suffered the wrath of broker downgrades, but G4S should benefit from its exposure to emerging markets.

Forecasts are for profits to exceed the £400 million mark - almost £100 million more than last year.

But it's midweek that's really shaping up to be a bumper day for the diary, with retail, pharmaceuticals and pub groups all getting a look-in.

French Connection (FCCN) will be showcasing its very own final results just six weeks after it published a shining trading update.

The high street fashion brand, which recently launched its first transactional iPhone App, said pre-tax profit for the year ended 31 January 2011 should be in the region of £6.8 million as a result of continuing strong performance in the wholesale division. It added that growth in licensing income and good control of overheads had helped its performance.

Budget bakery Greggs (GRG) is next up and the general consensus suggest a set of line full-year figures, with the possibility of better-than-expected results given that the group fared well over the Christmas period, despite the rough weather conditions.

Mince pies gave the FTSE 250-listed company a boost over the Christmas period and no doubt in the run-up to Easter, hot cross buns will have much the same effect. Profits are likely to be in the region of £50 million, with revenues close to £670 million.

Meanwhile, the pharmaceuticals sector gets a look-in with the release of Hikma (HIK)'s full-year results.

Jeremy Batstone-Carr, analyst at Charles Stanley, said he strongly suspects the results will be overshadowed by what the company has to say regarding unrest in its Middle East North Africa heartland.

Hikma operates across 17 MENA markets and the region contributes as much as 62% of 2010 sales. Normally, its expansive stretch of interests would offer investors good exposure, but right now it places it firmly in the firing line.

For more on MENA and why rising oil prices don't necessarily signal a downturn for markets, read: Making sense of MENA.

"Frankly, although one might attempt to guess at the extent to which Hikma's operations have been impacted by the region's problems, we will have to wait for Wednesday for a detailed update. The other question pertains to the company's perception regarding how long the crisis might last. It is, in our opinion, too previous to say that sales lost over 2011 will automatically be recouped in 2012," Batstone-Carr added.

And flying the flag for the drinks industry will be Marston (MARS)'s, with its first-half trading statement.

Analysts are forecasting a fairly upbeat take on the sector, given that new pub restaurants have exceeded expectations and managed pub margins should continue to grow.

A main focus for investors will be to see how the company's expansion plans are progressing and if it remains on target to open 20 new pubs this year.

Premier Farnell (PFL) is one for the electronics industry on Thursday, and is set to unveil a rise in profits and revenues amid continuing growth of electronics.

Analyst Steve Woolf at Numis is forecasting revenues of £988 million, up 24%, and operating profit of £112.4 million.

And last but not least, Legal and General (LGEN) wraps up events on Thursday in a wave of contrasting broker views. Numis tags the stock with a target price of 171p, while Goldman Sachs is negative with a 'sell' recommendation and 110p target.

While there is a lot of competition within these markets, analysts are on the whole expecting a reasonable set of figures.

In a trading update released in November, the company stated that it was on track to beat its £600 million 2010 cash generation target. It reported net cash of £526 million in the first nine months.

The UK savings business was the key driver of sales growth, according to Charles Stanley analyst Nic Clarke, with sales up 43% in the first nine months of the year and third-quarter sales up 56% year-on-year.

"There have been positive flows into the investment business, non-profit pensions and bond products. However, this was partly offset by outflows from with-profit bonds. Assets under management ended September at £342 billion, up 10%. Our current recommendation is 'hold'," said Clarke.

It's altogether quieter on the economic front, after what has been a busy few weeks for the UK economy.

Investors are likely to prick up their ears at the sound of unemployment data out on Wednesday. Economists are forecasting essentially flat reading for February, after edging up by 2,400 in January.

Meanwhile, the number of jobless on the International Labour Organisation measure is also essentially unchanged in the three months to January to stand at 2.50 million, thereby keeping the ILO unemployment rate at 7.9%.

"Labour market data may well be mixed in the near term but we expect a modest deteriorating trend to emerge as 2011 progresses," explained Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight. "We expect that unemployment is headed up in 2011 as a consequence of slower, below-trend growth, rising business caution and public sector jobs being increasingly pared."

Also on Wednesday, average earnings data for January will be published, with little change forecast, reflecting relatively high unemployment, workers' job insecurity and the ongoing need for companies to manage their costs in a challenging environment.

The average weekly earnings growth is expected to have risen by just 2% in the three months to January, but any future pay developments are likely to play a critical role in determining just how soon and how quickly the Bank of England will look to raise interest rates.

The Bank of England's inflation attitudes survey for the first quarter is due out on Thursday. The risk of a pick-up in inflation expectations in response to the recent rise in inflation is currently the monetary policy committee's biggest concern. So this latest survey is likely to be closely scrutinised for any evidence of so-called second round effects, particularly given the rise in pay settlements at the start of this year.

Economists at Capital Economics said in a note: "Households' expectations over the next 12 months are almost certain to have risen. However, the committee is more concerned with what happens to longer-term measures of inflation expectations. Even a slight rise in inflation expectations may be seized on by the committee's hawks as support for their argument that interest rates need to rise."

Monday 14 March

Results

(Finals) Bovis Homes Group, Brady, Hydrogen Group, Irish Continental Group Units, MCB Finance Group, TEG Group

(Interims) Tristel

AGMs

Advance Developing Markets Fund, Aisi Realty Public

EGMs

ContentFilm, Energetix Group

Tuesday 15 March

Results

(Finals) Axis-Shield, Capital Drilling, Cello Group, Collins Stewart, Dealogic Holdings, Fairpoint Group, First Quantum Minerals, Fisher (James) & Sons, G4S, KBC Advanced Technologies, Mears Group, Metalrax Group

(Interims) Air Partner, Close Brothers Group, St Ives

Trading updates

Debenhams

AGMs

Electronic Data Processing, Framlington, Trans Balkan Investments, Wynnstay Group

EGMs

CSS Stellar, EPE Special Opportunities, Ferrexpo, Persian Gold

Wednesday 16 March

Results

(Finals) French Connection Group, Greggs, Hardy Oil & Gas, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, MirLand Development, RAB Capital, Velti

(Interims) Brooks Macdonald Group

AGMs

Datong, Domino Printing Sciences

Dividend payment date

(Quarterly) Unilever

Thursday 17 March

Results

(Finals) Aegis Group, Arbuthnot Banking Group, Legal & General Group, Panmure Gordon & Co, Premier Farnell, ProStrakan Group, SIG, SpaceandPeople, TT Electronics, Work Group

(Interims) CVS Group

Trading updates

Investec

AGMs

Banco de Chile, Brunner Inv Trust, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Image Scan Holdings

EGMs

Alpha Tiger Property Trust, Epicure Qatar Equity Opportunities, Oxford Catalysts Group

Dividend payment date

(Final) Sinclair (William) Holdings

Friday 18 March

Results

(Finals) Alpha Pyrenees Trust, EMIS Group, Jupiter Fund Management, Manganese Bronze Holdings, T Clarke

(Interims) Regenersis

AGMs

Interbulk Group, JPMorgan Russian Securities, Manroy

EGMs

Avation

Dividend payment date

(Final) Barclays, Catlin Group

(Interim) Eaga, Standard Life UK Smaller Companies Trust