THERE will be a report from a rain-hit DIY market this week, while other figures will throw the spotlight on the holiday and housebuilding sectors.

B&Q owner Kingfisher will reveal the impact of last year’s record rainfall as annual figures tomorrow are expected to show a big fall in profits.

Having seen profits surge by a fifth in the previous year, the group’s turnaround efforts were hit last year after wet weather affected demand for gardening and outdoor maintenance products .

Analysts are expecting underlying full-year pre-tax profits to slip by 11 per cent to £715m across the group, which also owns tools supplier Screwfix as well as Castorama and Brico Depot, in France.

The fall is predicted to have been driven by a 19 per cent slump in profits at B&Q in the UK and Ireland to £192m.

Half-year figures from housebuilder Bellway tomorrow follow a Budget day boost for the sector after Chancellor George Osborne unveiled a package of measures designed to breathe life into the ailing housing market.

Shares in housebuilders jumped after details of a new help-to-buy scheme for those struggling to find mortgage deposits were announced. The plans will act as a further lift for housebuilders, which have already enjoyed improved fortunes in recent months, thanks largely to existing Government- backed schemes.

Newcastle-based Bellway has already set the scene for a decent set of half-year results after revealing that sales rose 5.8 per cent in the first half.

Thomson and First Choice holiday operator TUI Travel will confirm whether the recent package holiday comeback has continued when it delivers a trading update on Wednesday.

It had already sold more than a third of its UK summer holidays by the end of its last quarter, with bookings nine per cent ahead of last year as more customers choose the certainty of all-inclusive deals and look to avoid a repeat of last year’s wash-out.

A four per cent increase in average selling prices failed to impact on bookings, helping the group narrow operating losses by 15 per cent to £93m in the three months to December 31.

The performance saw TUI raise expectations, saying underlying earnings growth was forecast to be towards the top end of its guidance of seven to ten per cent.

Companies reporting this week include:

  • Today – Finals: Michelmersh Brick, UK Asset Resolution.
  • Interims: Finsbury Food. Trading update: Daily Mail and General Trust.
  • Tomorrow – Finals: Kingfisher.
  • Interims: Bellway, Wolseley.
  • Trading update: Compass.
  • Wednesday – Finals: Lloyds of London, Merlin Entertainments.
  • Trading updates: Topps Tiles, TUI Travel.
  • Thursday – Finals: Chesnara, Hilton Food.