THE City will be kept on its toes next week with updates from Alliance & Leicester, Northern Rock and Misys.

It will also be a busy one on the economic news front, with inflation and high street sales figures to ponder.

FTSE-100 software company Misys has already indicated it expects to post "satisfactory" results for the full year, although headline profits are expected to be impaired by an increase in Internet start-up costs.

Pre-tax profits are forecast to come in at £117m, against £111m the previous year, when it reports on Thursday, broker Gerrard said.

Northern Rock is expected to provide few surprises when it kicks off the interim results season for banks on Thursday.

A trading statement last month revealed no hint of the worsening credit quality or margin pressure that many followers of the banking sector fear. Stockbroker Gerrard expects results for the first half of the year to be in line with market expectations, with pre-tax profits of £137m, compared with £122m a year earlier.

Analysts will be keen to learn of the progress made by Alliance & Leicester towards cost-cutting targets and revenue growth outlined in October. It unveils its interim results on Friday.

Analysts are predicting a modest fall in pre-tax profits this year. Gerrard expects the figure to dip to £207m from £252m.

Newspaper and magazine distribution business John Menzies is forecast to post pre-tax profits of £36.3m when it reports on Tuesday, against £33.3m last time.

Analysts will be keen for an update on restaurant chain Fish's UK roll-out plans when it reports interims on Monday.

The group, which has eight fish restaurants, is due to have 12 open by the end of October, and a further 12 next year.

Analysts have pencilled in pre-tax profits of £600,000, against last year's £759,000, with the drop due to the group demerging its Signature restaurants business and its computer software division.

l Companies reporting next week:

MONDAY - Interims: Fish.

TUESDAY - Finals: Menzies (John), Ashted Group. Interims: Aberforth Smaller Co Tst, Britannic Smaller Co's Tst, Rights & Issues Inv Trust.

WEDNESDAY - Finals: Aberforth Split Level Tst. Interims: Microgen, Xaar.

THURSDAY - Finals: Aim Group, Misys. Interims: Northern Rock.

FRIDAY - Interims: Alliance & Leicester.