KBC Bank taps financial boost from rising Irish house prices

KBC Bank Ireland got a huge financial boost from rapidly increasing house prices in 2018 but the outlook suggests Irish lenders will have fewer opportunities to tap this year.

In its annual earnings, KBC Ireland chief executive Wim Verbraeken said net profits of €162m for the year marked a “very strong” performance as the bank stepped up as a so-called challenger bank for mortgages and small company loans.