RETAILERS will lead corporate announcements next week with B&Q owner Kingfisher and supermarket chain Morrisons due to report, while updates are also expected from companies in the media and leisure industries.

Kingfisher buoyed investors with a positive trading update last month. Profits at the top of market hopes are expected in its full-year results on Wednesday, rising to £610m in the 12 months to January 31 from £521m in the previous year.

Cruise company Carnival has already said this year promises to be a "transforming year", while confidence has also been fuelled by booking levels running 59 per cent ahead of last year during the key period of January to March.

It is understood the group, which posts first-quarter numbers on Thursday, has raised prices in response to demand, while costs are expected to be at the low end of previous guidance. Higher fuel costs and the weak US dollar are likely to be largely offset by lower than expected advertising fees.

Analysts are hoping for news that advertising revenues are rising when media group Daily Mail and General Trust issues a trading statement on Thursday.

The company - publisher of the Daily Mail and Evening Standard newspapers - increased turnover at its regional newspaper business by three per cent last year and a further improvement in like-for-like revenues is expected, mainly from recruitment and property advertising.

Supermarket chain Morrisons will post its final annual results as a stand alone company on Thursday after its £3bn takeover of rival Safeway was completed earlier this month.

Analysts expect the group to report an excellent year, helped by a good trading environment in the food retail sector, with pre-tax profits of about £318m last year compared with £275m a year ago.

Steel group Corus should take another step on the road to recovery on Thursday as full-year results are expected to show operating losses of between £50m and £150m, against £393m a year earlier.

Engineering group Weir may update investors on opportunities to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq when it issues full-year results on Tuesday.

Results for 2003 are expected to show the impact of ongoing tough trading conditions, with profits forecast to be about £55m, against just under £60m a year earlier.

l Companies reporting next week include:

Monday

Finals: Alea, Headlam, Medical Solutions, ROK Property Solutions, Spirax-Sarco

Interims: Profile Therapeutics

Tuesday

Finals: Abbot, Benfield, BPP Holdings, Celltech, Computacenter, Delta, Gowrings, Highway Insurance Holdings, Interior Services, John Menzies, Mersey Docks & Harbour, Spectris, Spring, Staffware, Weir, Wyevale Garden Centres

Wednesday

Finals: Costain, Johnston Press, Kingfisher, Parity, Pixology, Restaurant Group, RPS, Slough Estates, Tikit, Xaar

Thursday

Finals: Cobham, Derwent Valley, Geest, IP2IPO, Morrisons, Premier Farnell, Trafficmaster

Interims: Manganese Bronze, FW Thorpe

Friday

Finals: Aga Foodservices, Parkwood Holdings, Toad