IT will be busy in the City next week, as market watchers dodge the May Day riots to study figures from a host of blue-chip companies including Whitbread, Shell, Bank of Scotland and Powergen.

The City will be interested to hear drinks-to-burgers group Allied Domecq's thoughts on its future strategy when it reports its annual results on Tuesday.

The group lost out to Diageo in the race for Seagram and analysts expect Allied to be on the look out for new acquisition targets in a bid to broaden its portfolio.

A focus on core brands and recent cost-cutting efforts should see earnings rise, with stockbroker Gerrard predicting pre-tax profits of £226m compared to £214m last time.

It will be a case of out with the old and in with the new on Wednesday when Whitbread reports its first annual figures after selling its brewing operation and its pubs and bars division.

The group, now firmly focused on its hotels, restaurants and sports, and health and fitness division, is likely to outline in some detail its prospects as a leaner business.

The results themselves will include a host of exceptional items and a heavy contribution from the discontinued businesses. Pre-tax profit is expected to be £350m, up from £348m last time.

Bank of Scotland's results on Wednesday will be overshadowed by this week's revelation that it is in merger talks with Britain's largest mortgage lender Halifax.

Analysts believe it could be third time lucky for Bank of Scotland.Pre-tax profits for the year are expected to steam through the £1bn barrier, to £1.1bn, up from £910m.

Electricity group Powergen's first quarter results on Thursday are likely to take a back seat to questions about the takeover bid on the table from German firm Eon.

Powergen is expected to show pre-tax profits for the first quarter of £150m. The market will also be keen on an update on Powergen's debt reduction disposal programme, which it initiated after its massive buy of US group LG&E last year.

Oil giant Shell is expected to announce more strong figures on Thursday, with net income for the first quarter forecast at £2.43bn, up from £2.21bn the same time last year. The oil price has fallen slightly from its high but continues to trade at relatively high levels, supported by high gas prices, and these levels look likely to continue in the medium term, stockbrokers Gerrard said.

Energy group Scottish Power's figures on Thursday are likely to show a dip in full-year profits from £736m to £646m.

* Companies reporting next week:

MONDAY - Finals: E-Primefinancial, Prowting, Toye & Company

Interims: Gameplay, Phytopharm, SBS Group, Stratagem Group

TUESDAY - Interims: Allied Domecq, Galen Holdings

WEDNESDAY - Finals: Bank of Scotland, Sytner, Whitbread

Interims: Netstore (Q3), Terence Chapman Group

THURSDAY - Finals: Scottish Power, Screen

Interims: Powergen (Q1), Shell (Q1), Royal Dutch Pet (Q3)

FRIDAY - No results.