Banking stocks down on ISEQ

Shares in the country's two main banks fell in early trading this morning amid continued speculation over how much the Government will pay for toxic bank loans.

AIB fell 10c to €2.59 and Bank of Ireland dropped 8c to €2.70 ahead of this afternoon's announcement by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan on the overall discount that the National Assets Management Agency will seek on the book value of bad property loans issued by Irish banks.