Rolls-Royce is tipped to report improved underlying full year profits and lower debt levels on Thursday.

R-R will present results using international accounting standards, which boost underlying earnings per share.

Rival General Electric's recent second quarter profits showed its engine spares business was seeing good growth and that there was confidence in the momentum being sustained.

While R-R has extensive currency hedging in place, the firmer dollar has reduced concerns about its long term profitability and in the short term about its capacity to compete against US suppliers.

It will be important for the group to indicate progress in cash generation. The failure to raise the 2004 final dividend was disappointing and hit the share price, so the absence of a dividend increase this time would be negative for the shares, one broker said.

On the same day rail and bus operator National Express Group should report a good interim profits performance. NEG is tipped to turn in pre-tax profits of £ 58 . 5 million against £42.3 million.

Rail is predicted to be the growth driver, as its bus margins are believed to be lower, particularly in the West Midlands, due to pressure on volumes and higher oil and labour costs.

Progress is expected in the US school bus and transit operations and more modest gains are anticipated in UK coaches.

The bus volume outlook in Birmingham will be of special interest, where it is felt the local authority attitude towards bus transport has not been helpful, broker Gerrard said. In rail, analysts are concerned about whether proximity to profit caps will limit future growth.

Finally, cash performance will continue to be of interest to support growing the dividend.

On Friday, banking group Lloyds TSB will report a tough first half when it posts interim results.

One stockbroker said despite signs of improving performance in a number of areas, the overall operating environment will have proved challenging.

The lending market has shown some signs of weakness and with Lloyds TSB needing sales of insurance products to help drive top-line growth, broker Gerrard said it did not believe there was too much scope for beating revenue forecasts.

"It might be easier to beat earnings forecasts, on the other hand, since we do not expect any significant increase in impairment charges," Gerrard added.

Although an interim pre-tax profits forecast was unavailable, the company reported half year profits last time of £1.645 billion.

British Telecom should post a robust set of first quarter results on Thursday. It should report a resilient revenue performance.

Global services revenues and take-up of broadband will continue to be growth drivers for BT and maintain a positive upward revenue trend within the so-called "new wave" sector, on which BT is now relying to offset the decline in its traditional landline business.