Nathalie Thomas: Spotlight shines on low-cost airline and B&Q owner

ANNUAL results from low-cost carrier Ryanair will come under the spotlight in a shortened trading week, while B&Q parent Kingfisher is also set to update on its recent sales performance.

Kingfisher will reveal how DIY sales fared over Easter amid the warmer weather when it updates on first-quarter trading on Thursday.

The group recently revealed the benefits of the consumer trend to "improve not move", with profits up 50 per cent to 547 million in the year to 30 January.

Its UK arm, which also includes Screwfix, saw an even better performance as profits soared 64.5 per cent thanks to an impressive performance from B&Q. But the results were overshadowed by Kingfisher's outlook comments, with the group saying it remained cautious on consumer demand across Europe.

There are also concerns among some analysts that its first-quarter results may be subdued because of tough comparatives from a year earlier, when the weather was better and Easter was later.

Kate Calvert at Shore Capital expects the company to confirm that sales increased as the weather improved, but is still forecasting first-quarter B&Q same-store sales to be down 3 per cent on a year earlier.

Budget carrier Ryanair reports annual figures tomorrow after an eventful year.

Oil prices, recession pressures and, most recently, volcanic ash clouds have been key issues for the entire industry.

But Ryanair has benefited from the strike woes at beleaguered British Airways, being quick to capitalise by offering passengers "rescue fares". Ryanair – led by outspoken boss Michael O'Leary – said last month the late flurry of bookings in its final quarter would boost annual profits by at least 25m (21.3m).

It upped profits guidance for the year to 31 March to at least 310m compared with previous guidance of 275m.

This would throw the troubles at BA into sharp focus, with its embattled rival revealing record annual losses of 531m.

It also represents a turnaround for Ryanair after it suffered losses of 169.2m in the year to March 2009.

But with oil prices back on the rise and the lingering threat of further volcanic ash disruption, the market will no doubt be keen to hear Ryanair's views on prospects for the year ahead.

The UK's biggest tile and flooring chain reports interim figures on Wednesday, but has already warned of subdued trading in the half-year amid faltering consumer confidence.

Topps Tiles said in March that interim like-for-like sales growth was expected to be far below levels seen at the start of the period after a marked slowdown since January.

It guided for sales up 2.1 per cent for the 27 weeks to 2 April – less than half the 5.5 per cent growth seen after 14 weeks of the first half.

Extreme weather at the start of the year impacted sales, while consumer caution has also been hitting demand.

Analysts trimmed forecasts as a result of the downbeat update in March, with Kate Calvert at Shore Capital wiping 20 per cent off its full-year profit estimates, to 17.2m.

Other analysts believe profits could well fail to lift from the 16.3m a year earlier.

Calvert said that Topps was likely to remain under pressure, with "the macroeconomic environment and the UK housing market, in particular, to remain subdued into 2010".