WEEK AHEAD WEEK 13

After Leo Varadkar’s shock announcement last week, all eyes are on the anointment of Simon Harris as his successor.

A cabinet reshuffle is on the cards, and Simon Coveney – the Enterprise Minister – is perceived to be at risk of seeing his ministerial career come to an abrupt end.

On the international front, inflation and interest rate activity remain a key focus.

Next Friday, key inflation data is due out in the United States, with Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell due to speak the same day.

Analysts expect that the first rate cut will come in June, but Mr Powell said last week that the Fed is waiting for more data before it decides when any cut should come.

On this side of the Atlantic, the diaries are decidedly quieter as the Easter break approaches.

Tomorrow sees Paddy Power owner Flutter – whose CEO is Peter Jackson – release its full-year results. It is the first set of results since its shares floated on the New York Stock Exchange at the end of January.

There’ll be scrutiny of the performance of its FanDuel unit in the US, which has stolen a march over many of its rivals as States there legalise sports betting.

It’s a relatively quiet week ahead for releases from the Central Statistics Office.

Its crops and livestock survey for June 2023 is out on Wednesday, while the number of livestock slaughterings for February this year are published on Thursday.

It releases the provisional retail sales index for February on Thursday and the final index for January. The same day also sees it publish inbound tourism data for February.