Government still expected to sell 25% of AIB this year

A partial sale of the State’s near-total ownership of AIB is still expected this year, with Goodbody Stockbrokers naming it as one of the 10 main events likely to affect the economy in 2017.

Analysts have been expecting a spring or autumn 2017 sale of 25% of the State’s 99% holding in AIB for some time.

However, when unveiling the Government’s sales advisers last month, Finance Minister Michael Noonan put no fixed timeframe on a sale and hinted that the process could stretch into 2018.