The Motley Fool's Week Ahead: The end of the recession

Next week we could have official confirmation that the recession has ended

There are signs that the UK economy is improving.

The latest unemployment figures were not quite as bad as expected, house prices appear to be strengthening, September retail sales were up a tad, and mega bank bonuses are back! Whether the UK has officially emerged from recession still hangs in the balance.

We won't know for sure until third-quarter GDP figures are released on Friday next week.

Analysts are forecasting breakneck growth of 0.1% compared to the previous quarter.

Notable results and updates w/c 19 October 09: Monday: St Ives.

Tuesday: Xstrata.

Wednesday: BHP Billiton, Cadbury and Home Retail Group.

Thursday: Morse, Smiths News and Stobart Group.

Friday: BSkyB Sky's the limit: Satellite broadcaster BSkyB (LSE: BSY) has taken the economic downturn on the chin.

In the year to June, it added some 462,000 new subscribers -- the highest number of additions for five years.

Sky, which will report first-quarter numbers on Friday, has seen rapid growth in high-definition subscribers.

It's looking for similar growth from its broadband and home phone services.

Additionally, it will shortly sell music online through its Sky Songs service.

One part of Home Retail Group (LSE: HOME) has fared well in the recession but the other hasn't.

Its Homebase division should report a small rise in first-half sales thanks to special promotions and stock-clearance sales.

However, this has been at the expense of gross margins.

Meanwhile, like-for-like sales at Argos are expected to be lower, though total sales may be up thanks to new store openings.

Home Retail will report interim numbers on Wednesday.

"Put up" or "shut up": Xstrata (LSE: XTA) recently walked away from a hostile takeover of Anglo American (LSE: AAL) and is due to announce its third-quarter numbers on Tuesday.

It seems that Xstrata is unwilling to sweeten its offer, which has caused the deal to founder.

Under UK rules, Xstrata had been told by the Takeover Panel to either "put up" or "shut up" and it has chosen the latter.

That said, it can come back with another offer, but only after six months have elapsed.

Sticking with miners, BHP Billiton (LSE: BLT) has clarified details of its joint venture deal with Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO).

The two miners have agreed to separately sell iron ore from a joint venture in Western Australia.

Initially it was thought that they would jointly market as much as 15% of production.

BHP's latest quarterly production report is due out on Wednesday.

Truck spotting: Shares in Stobart Group (LSE: STOB) have been going like a train.

They have climbed almost 20% in the last week valuing the company at GBP316m.

Stobart, which boasts its own truck-spotting fan club, is expected to say on Thursday that first-half freight volumes have been strong.

Road haulage accounts for nine-tenth of turnover, but the company is diversifying into rail, ports and air.

Finally, look out for further developments at Lloyds Banking Group (LSE: LLOY).

The bank is seeking alternatives to entering the Government Asset Protection Scheme.

One idea that has been mooted is a andpound;15bn rights issue -- making it the biggest rights issue in UK stock-market history.

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