Your business this week: All eyes on Brexit

Post-Brexit diversification into foreign markets plus National Women’s Enterprise Day is marked

MONDAY

Results: Bank of America.

Indicators: Irish balance of trade (Aug); German import prices (Aug); US retail sales (Sep).

Meetings: Opening of Talent Garden Dublin at DCU Alpha campus with Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe; STR Ireland Hotels Sector Revenue Forum (Sandymount Hotel).

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TUESDAY

Results: Bellway, eBay, Goldman Sachs, Netflix, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley.

Indicators: Euro zone economic sentiment index (Oct); UK unemployment (Aug), average income (Aug); German economic sentiment index (Oct); US industrial production (Sep), manufacturing production (Sep).

WEDNESDAY

Results: Danone.

Indicators: Euro-zone construction output (Aug), inflation (Sep); UK inflation (Sep), PPI output and input (Sep), retail price index (Sep), inflation (Sep).

Meetings: NERI post-budget seminar (INTO Learning Centre, Parnell Square, Dublin 1); Cloud Camp tech conference for Microsoft cloud (Convention Centre Dublin); Launch of Enterprise Ireland's International Markets Week 2018 (RDS, Dublin 4).

Foreign markets

Diversification into foreign markets, that all-too-familiar Brexit theme, is at the centre of Enterprise Ireland’s International Markets Week which launches on Wednesday.

The event will provide advisers from 33 overseas offices, each of whom have retuned to Ireland to offer up valuable insights into exactly what is out there, and how to access it. More than 600 companies are due to take part.

It anticipates about 2,000 meetings with client companies, with tips on global export opportunities and how to diversify into new markets in response to Brexit.

This year IMW will include a new euro-zone area to focus on a market that “represents a considerable untapped opportunity for exporters”.

Enterprise Ireland is actively encouraging client companies to enter and build exports in core euro-zone markets.

There will also be a dedicated Brexit Zone, where experts will offer practical advice and assistance to client companies exporting to the UK. Company specific one-to-one meetings to discuss related issues including customs, transport and logistics, as well as financial and currency management and strategic sourcing will take place.

THURSDAY

Results: Kuehne + Nagel, American Express, PayPal.

Indicators: UK retail sales (Sep); German wholesale prices (Sep).

Meetings: Falcon Oil & Gas agm (Conrad Hotel, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2); European Council Meeting; National Women's Enterprise Day with 16 nationwide events (various venues); 3XE Search Conference on digital marketing (Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin 3); Banking & Payments Federation Ireland annual retail banking conference (Marker Hotel, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2).

Women in business

There are 16 planned events around the country this Thursday to mark National Women’s Enterprise Day. Now in its 12th year, the annual event focuses on women in business and this year its central theme, “from local to global”, aims to encourage even more female-led businesses to diversify and enter overseas markets.

The event is an initiative of Local Enterprise Offices which support thousands of female entrepreneurs every year. Ahead of this year's event, it has reported that more than 19,000 female entrepreneurs took part in training and mentoring programmes with their local offices last year alone.

Among those taking part in this year's events are Catherine Roycroft, the three-time Oscar nominee from Cartoon Saloon; Oonagh O'Hagan, managing director of Meaghers Pharmacy Group; Dr Sinead Kane, Guinness World Record holder for endurance running and Ireland's first legally blind solicitor; and Julie Sinnamon, chief executive of Enterprise Ireland.

The programme involves full and part-day events in various counties featuring female speakers from a range of Irish companies.

FRIDAY

Results: Procter & Gamble.

Indicators: Irish Government finance statistics (Q2); UK public sector net borrowing (Sep).

Meetings: European Council meeting.