HSBC reports first half results on Monday with the City anxious to discover whether new tax arrangements for the banking industry announced by the Chancellor will be enough to keep it from moving out of the UK.

George Osborne introduced a new 8% bank surcharge on lenders' profits during his summer Budget early in July, largely replacing the existing bank levy by 2020. Meanwhile, from 2021 the levy, which will be set much lower than its current rate, will only apply to UK rather than group balance sheets.

The levy in its earlier form had been seen as a key reason why HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, said in April that it was considering relocation away from London and possibly back to Hong Kong where it originated. A large part of its business is focused on Asia.

Brokers at Investec estimate the changes announced by Mr Osborne will slash the lender's bank levy charges of around 1.5 billion US dollars (£964 million) this year by 80% by 2021.

They said: "This could be HSBC's final set of numbers before its potential 'escape' from the UK is resolved. For the sake of its shareholders, we certainly hope so."

The analyst expects the bank to turn in half-year profits up 17% to 6.5 billion US dollars (£4.2 billion), driven by a strong performance in Hong Kong.

However, HSBC is concerned about its underperformance in Europe and other parts of the world, and last month unveiled its keenly-awaited strategy update.

It confirmed plans to axe up to 25,000 jobs worldwide including as many as 8,000 in the UK, amid plans to sell off operations in Turkey and Brazil.

The swingeing job cuts comes as the bank seeks to deliver annual cost savings of around 4.5 billion US dollars (£2.9 billion) to five billion US dollars (£3.3 billion) by the end of 2017.

The bank said under its new strategy it will also target growth in Asia by expanding its insurance business and its presence in China's Pearl River Delta region.

It added that it wanted to return its global banking and markets division to profitability - an area which has become more expensive for banks in the tougher regulatory environment since the financial crisis.

Elsewhere in the business, HSBC is relocating the head office of its UK retail bank from London to Birmingham by 2019 amid new ring-fencing rules separating this part of the group from its investment arm.

It has also said it is to rename the UK retail business, prompting speculation over a return of the Midland brand to the high street more than 20 years after HSBC took over the Midland in 1992.

HSBC has also been in the spotlight after being hit with a 40 million Swiss franc (£28 million) fine in June to settle an investigation by prosecutors in Geneva into alleged aggravated money laundering.

Authorities raided the premises of the group's controversial Swiss private bank in February, following allegations that it helped to hide millions of dollars for arms dealers while helping others avoid taxes.

Online takeaway group Just Eat is expected to see a boost in sales when it reports on its half-year trading on Tuesday.

Brokers at Jefferies expect the group, which handles orders for eight million users at more than 45,700 takeaway restaurants, to post like-for-like order growth somewhere between 35% and "the high 40s".

The group joined the stock market last April in the biggest UK technology flotation for eight years. Just Eat is now valued at more than £2.9 billion, up from just under £1.5 billion at the time of its market debut.

It has grown rapidly aided by acquisitions and consolidation in markets such as France, Brazil and Mexico - though the completion of its £445 million purchase of Australian rival Menulog has raised eyebrows in the City over what is regarded by some analysts as a high price.

Just Eat's share price has fallen almost 17% since the deal was announced in May.

Peel Hunt added: "The Australian acquisition was consistent with the group's stated strategy and we do believe that it will be earnings enhancing.

"However, there is little room for error and our longer term concerns about the robustness of the pricing model remain."

The firm makes its money by connecting consumers to its takeaway restaurants, and has more than 8.1 million active customers.

More Than owner RSA Insurance reports half-year results on Thursday as it weighs up its next move after European giant Zurich Insurance said it was considering an offer for the firm, reportedly likely to be worth £5.6 billion.

RSA is one of a clutch of firms in the sector reporting this week as the industry digests the impact of a variety of issues from rising motor insurance premiums to annuity reform.

Zurich confirmed recent speculation in the last few days that it was weighing up an offer for the group, sending shares as much as 15% higher.

RSA is run by chief executive Stephen Hester, the former boss at Royal Bank of Scotland, who was hired to revive the insurer's fortunes after it was hit by a series of profit warnings more than 18 months ago.

Since Mr Hester took over at RSA from his predecessor, Simon Lee, he has sold a clutch of assets, overhauled the management and held a £775 million rights issue in a bid to rebuild RSA's balance sheet.

RSA said it has not held talks with Zurich and advised shareholders to take no action, but analysts will want to gauge if management are open to a deal.

Turning to its half-year profits brokers at Numis expect "a significant improvement" jumping more than three times to £218 million compared to a year ago, largely due to lower weather losses.

Elsewhere in the sector, Standard Life chief executive David Nish will present his last set of half-year results on Tuesday following last month's surprise decision to step down on August 5. He will be replaced by the firm's chief investments officer Keith Skeoch.

Brokers at Pamure Gordon forecast the Edinburgh-based firm will post a 6% rise in operating profit to £291 million compared to a year ago, following a series of disposals and sales.

Over the last year Standard Life has bought Ignis Asset Management for £390 million and sold its Canadian companies for £2.2 billion to Toronto-based rival Manulife Financial as it focuses on market-leading businesses.

It said it would distribute £1.75 billion of this cash to shareholders, adding that it has returned £3.5 billion to investors since 2010.

Direct Line insurance reports on Tuesday with analysts at Numis expecting the firm to boost it half-year operating profit by 9% compared to a year ago to £258 million, due to lower weather losses and improvements in its home insurance division.

The Bromley-based business, which also owns Churchill and was spun out of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said in May it had cut total costs by 10.1% to £220.7 million in the first three months of its year and was on track to reduce costs in absolute terms in 2015.

Aviva, which in April sealed the industry's biggest merger since 2000 with the £6.5 billion tie-up with Friends Life, also reports half-year results on Thursday.

The City will want a progress report on the newly-created financial services business which will have a combined headcount of just over 31,500.

Aviva has already revealed that it expects to cut 1,500 jobs, almost 5% of its workforce, as part of its plans to make £225 million of annual savings from the deal by the end of 2017.

In March Aviva posted full-year profits up 6% to £2.2 billion, after a 15% rise in the value of new business helped offset currency and regulatory headwinds.

Legal & General also reports half-year results on Wednesday.

Latest headlines affecting the insurance sector have included a year-on-year rise of 5.5% in motor insurance premiums in the second quarter after years of decline - according to a recent AA report - though claims inflation, due to more frequent claims with higher damages, rose between 3% and 5%.

The industry landscape has also been shifted by the removal of the requirement to purchase annuities, introduced in April. This has caused a higher proportion of customers to defer the decision to convert their pension savings into retirement income.