The insurance and banking sectors move into the spotlight this week with Prudential, Aviva and Northern Rock leading a clutch of blue-chip companies in updating the market.

The season of annual results from UK banks begins on Wednesday when Northern Rock announces its 2004 profits, which are expected to total £433m compared with £387m for the previous year.

Such a result would meet the group's strategic target of growing pre-tax profits by about 15 per cent each year and investors will look for an update on how the mortgage market is performing along with its outlook for this year.

Interest in the insurance sector will increase this week as Aviva and Prudential announce their new business figures for 2004.

Norwich Union owner Aviva is expected to announce on Tuesday that new sales of life and pensions totalled £2.5bn last year, up from £2.38bn in 2003.

Although a two per cent year-on-year rise in fourth quarter new business is expected from Prudential, investors are likely to seek out comments on the early progress of its UK strategy, for which the company conducted a rights issue last year.

Pharmaceuticals group AstraZeneca has been in the headlines over the past few months, with blood-thinning drug Exanta provisionally rejected by US regulators and its Iressa cancer treatment unable to prolong the life of patients significantly.

Investors are also seeking reassurance on the performance of cholesterol-busting drug Crestor after an employee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said more tests were required, contradicting the FDA's view.

Its annual results on Thursday are expected to show that pre-tax profits have risen to $4.7bn (£2.52bn) from $4.2bn (£2.25bn) a year ago.

Gaming group Stanley Leisure will be reporting its interim results on Wednesday three weeks after issuing a profits warning in the wake of a winning streak by a "major player" at its London casinos.

Analysts predict half-year profits of £24m, compared with £21.5m last year.

Chip maker ARM Holdings will see its annual profits diluted by the weakness of the US dollar against the pound. Analysts are looking for profits of £46.6m for the 12 months to December 31, up from £29.6m a year ago, when the company reports on trading on Wednesday.

Annual results from property developer Crest Nicholson on Wednesday should reveal how it benefited from the housing boom that took place during the 12 months to October 31, with an eight per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £81m expected by broker Charles Stanley.

l Companies reporting next week include:

MONDAY: Finals: Beale; Interims: ITM Power.

TUESDAY: Finals: ML Laboratories, Porvair; Interims: Alterian (Q3), Games Workshop, NCC; Trading statements: Thorntons.

WEDNESDAY: Finals: ARM Holdings, Crest Nicholson, Northern Rock; Interims: Stanley Leisure.

THURSDAY: Finals: AstraZeneca; Interims: Eurodis, Image Scan