NORTHERN Rock is expected to start the banks reporting season with a bang, when it reports its annual figures on Wednesday

The City predicts Northern Rock will turn in the best profits among the mortgage banks, with an underlying increase of ten per cent, a highly-creditable performance which should see a healthy rise in the dividend pay-out.

One area of potential concern, however, could be credit quality. Northern Rock has pioneered lending in excess of 100 per cent of property values and analysts will be keeping a keen eye on its bad debt provision. Overall, pre-tax profits are forecast to come in at £250m, against £216m.

Airport operator BAA has seen a steady rise in passenger numbers, not least last month when as a result of the continuing chaos on the railways traffic through its seven airports shot up by 11 per cent.

This rise is expected to boost BAA's figures for the first nine-months of the year, and help to offset the drop in income caused by the abolition of duty-free within the European Union.

BAA's retail revenue has held up well despite this watershed, with second quarter figures showing comparable growth of 14 per cent. The City will want to see firm evidence that this can continue. Third quarter figures on Friday are forecast to come in at £245m, against £424m.

Technology firms will also be under that spotlight.

Telecoms group Thus, reporting on Tuesday, has had little positive news, with sharp falls in its customer facing businesses, consumer subscriber loss at its Demon Internet business and cash outflows because of losses and investment needs. However, this has been offset by good business growth. Third quarter losses are expected to come in at £49m, said stockbroker Gerrard.

l Companies reporting next week:

MONDAY - Finals: Beale

Interims: Cammell Laird, Filtronic, International Greetings, Photo-Me International, Pifco Holdings

TUESDAY - Finals: Crest Nicholson.

Interims: Fletcher King, IFTE, Kingston Communications (Q3)

WEDNESDAY - Finals: ARM Holdings, Northern Rock.

THURSDAY - Finals: IFX Power.

Interims: Community Hospitals, KS Biomedix, Scottish Power (Q3).

FRIDAY - No results