Week ahead in business and economics: July 29 Ross McEwan, the head of RBS's retail banking business, is thought to be the leading candidate to take over from Mr Hester. Economic week ahead The Bank of England decides whether to launch another round of quantitative easing (QE) on Thursday. After last month's unanimous vote for the status quo, it would be a surprise if there was any substantive announcement, especially as the big monetary event will be next week's Inflation Report. Mark Carney, the new Governor, is expected to launch some kind of "conditional commitment" to low rates on August 7, so the Bank may keep its powder dry for the time being. The European Central Bank and the US Federal reserve also have rate decisions this week, but are similarly expected to leave things on hold. The ECB last month promised to keep rates low "for an extended period of time." The Fed may try to settle markets further, after the panic that set it in June following hints that QE might be tapered, by stressing its commitment to loose monetary policy even if the money tap is slowly tightened. Back in the UK, economists expect mortgage approvals to continue to rise and will be looking for evidence that the economy is building on the 0.6pc second quarter growth in the manufacturing and construction PMI indicators. Monday July 29 Full-year results None scheduled Interim results Fidessa Group, Hammerson, Hiscox, Intertek Group, JKX Oil & Gas, Keller, Reckitt Benckiser Group, Senior, Vernalis, XP Power Trading update Creston, Gem Diamonds, National Grid, Ryanair Holdings Economics Bank of England June mortgage approvals, lending, and consumer credit, CBI distributive trades for July Meetings Ashley House (AGM), Cranswick (AGM), Dechra Pharmaceuticals (EGM), National Grid (AGM) Tuesday July 30 BP will come to the market with its second-quarter results, and investors will be looking closely at the update the oil major gives on the continuing fallout from the Gulf of Mexico disaster. Tony Shepard, analyst at Charles Stanley, said earnings would be notable for including "the first material contribution" from Russian giant Rosneft, in which BP has a stake of close to 20pc. Analysts expected underlying profits of about $3.4bn, down from $3.6bn a year earlier. ITV is expected to reveal further good progress in its remarkable turnaround when it reports interim results. Its production business, ITV Studios, has been bolstered by a series of bolt-on acquisitions. Investors will also look for an upbeat advertising forecast for the second half after it suffered last year in the shadow of the Olympics on the BBC. The consensus is for total revenues of nearly £1.2bn, up more than 6pc on last year. Profit before tax should be up more than 10pc to around £265m. Full-year results Games Workshop Group Interim results African Barrick Gold, Barclays, BP, Brammer, Capital & Counties Properties, Domino's Pizza Group, Drax Group, Elementis, GKN, Informa, International Personal Finance, ITV, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, LSL Property Services, Pace, TeleCity Group, Tullett Prebon, Trinity Biotech, Weir Group, Wolfson Microelectronics Trading update Diploma, Next Meetings Halfords Group (AGM), Speymill (EGM) Wednesday July 31 British gas owner Centrica reports half-year results, with analysts expecting a slight rise in profits after the bitterly cold spring. The last time Centrica updated the market, in May, it said gas consumption had been up 18pc year-on-year in the first quarter. Investors will be on the lookout for updates on a cost-saving programme designed to protect profits, as well as a £500m share buyback scheme it announced in February. Analysts are not expecting hugely improved results despite higher gas use, with benefits arising from the cold weather used to remain competitive. Expectations are for half-year operating profits of £1.52bn, against £1.45bn last year. Full-year results Diageo Interim results Aer Lingus Group, British American Tobacco, Centrica, Devro, Dignity, Essentra, F&C Asset Management, 4imprint, Hydrodec, Mecom Group, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Moneysupermarket.com Group, Rightmove, Segro, Statpro Group, Tarsus Group, Tullow Oil, XChanging Trading update Air Partner, Brewin Dolphin Holdings, Greencore Group, St James's Place, Vedanta Resources, WS Atkins Economics GfK UK consumer confidence, ONS publishes 2013 Blue Book, US Q2 GDP, US Federal Reserve rate decision Meetings CML Microsystems (AGM), Corero Network Security (EGM), Hyder Consulting (AGM), Kibo Mining (AGM), Pursuit Dynamics (EGM), Treveria (AGM) WS Atkins (AGM) Thursday August 1 Interim results Aggreko, AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, Communisis, Intu Properties, Jupiter Fund Management, Laird, Lloyds Banking Group, Management Consulting Group, Promethean World, Rathbone Brothers, Robert Walters, RPS Group, RSA Insurance, Smith & Nephew, Spirent Communications, Trinity Mirror, UBM Trading update Covidien, Investec, Thomas Cook Group Economics Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee decision, UK manufacturing PMI, European Central Bank rate decision Meetings Phoenix IT Group (AGM), Pennon Group (AGM) Friday August 2 Interim results Direct Line Insurance Group, Fiberweb, Inchcape, Inmarsat, Rexam, Royal Bank of Scotland, Vesuvius, William Hill Economics UK construction PMI, US non-farm payrolls Meetings Flybe Group (EGM), UBC Media Group (AGM)