In another busy week for corporate news, the financial sectors will stay in focus as HSBC brings to a close a hectic reporting season for banks and insurer Royal & Sun Alliance updates the market on its recovery.

HSBC brings the reporting season in the banking sector to a close on Monday.

Despite rumours that the company has lost about $500 million - or a quarter of its half-year profits in Hong Kong - in an interest rate trade, analysts expect the U K's largest bank to announce that it has broken through the $20 billion mark with its full-year profits for 2005.

Investment banks Merrill Lynch and Charles Stanley both expect HSBC to report pre-tax income of at least $20.7 billion (£11.8 billion), representing a big leap on its haul of $18.94 billion (£10.79 billion) a year earlier.

Key issues will include credit quality, opportunities in markets such as the Middle East and provisions that included $206 million (£117.3 million) for damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and $100 million (£56.9 million) to cover new bankruptcy legislation in the United States.

The weekend has seen less-than-happy predictions for ITV amid speculation its advertising revenues have nose-dived.

The broadcaster is expected to say that first quarter advertising revenue from its flagship ITV1 channel - home of Coronation Street and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! - has fallen by about 14 per cent.

However, this could be offset by a stronger showing on its digital channels and online. Advertising sales over the coming football World Cup will also be of interest.

ITV may update the market on progress at the newlyacquired Friends Reunited website, which gave it access to millions of internet users at a time when broadband is expanding rapidly.

The broadcaster's ratings will also attract interest as it battles to retain viewers attracted by more and more digital channels. The company recently decided to ditch its News Channel.

A consensus of City analysts forecast ITV to bank pre-tax profits of £435 million compared with £340 million in 2004, while revenues are expected to be £2.16 billion.

Premier Foods is expected to deliver strong results on Tuesday driven by soaring grocery sales and the recent acquisitions of Quorn and Birds Custard.

Panmure Gordon forecast underlying profits to jump 19 per cent to £111 million in 2005 on the back of a 15 per cent increase in grocery sales.

Premier swallowed Quorn in a landmark £172 million deal in June.

Analysts will be eager to see how much of the growth was down to Quorn, Birds and other acquisitions such as meat-free products supplier Cauldron Foods, although sales at potato business MBM could be down by as much as a third following the loss of a Sainsbury contract in July.

The company has already told the market that healthy Christmas sales boosted by brands such as Branston and L oyd Grossman sauces helped compensate for lower demand created by the unusually mild autumn in the UK.