Global business outsourcing company Voxpro will open at least one more office before the end of the year as it continues its rapid global expansion ahead of a possible flotation in 2019.

British discount retailer Poundland is set to focus its expansion plans on the Irish market in the next nine months.

Expansion costs drove the Irish business of entertainment retail firm HMV into the red last year, as it recorded a pre-tax loss of €144,000.

Irish wind and solar energy company Mainstream Renewable Power is looking to raise €100m from investors to fund its expansion in emerging markets.

Expansion costs and a €1.25m write-off in a subsidiary resulted in discount retailer Euro General going into the red last year.

Glanbia will continue to expand via organic growth and acquisitions, managing director of the food group Siobhán Talbot said.

The Dalata Hotel Group has continued its expansion drive by spending €40m on acquiring operatorship status in four hotels.

Starbucks plans to accelerate its expansion in China, shrugging off concerns about a slowdown in the coffee chain’s second-largest market behind the US and a potential further depreciation of the yuan.

Dublin-headquartered builders merchanting and DIY goods provider Grafton Group has continued its international expansion drive with its fifth acquisition in the last 12 months.

Bank of Ireland approved €580m for the agriculture sector up to end of October, a 13% increase over the previous year.

The Islamic State group has dramatically expanded its theatre of operations from its hub in Syria and Iraq, executing or inspiring a series of attacks across three continents that claimed more than 800 lives this year.

PayPal’s recent massive expansion in Ireland continued to pay dividends last year with pre-tax profits at its main Irish firm increasing by 6% to €11.9m.

British retailer WH Smith has not ruled out further expansion in the Irish market after seeing profits in its travel division rise by 10% in its latest financial year.

The Irish arm of social media giant Twitter last year returned to profit, new documents show.

The Minister for the Marine says 29,000 new jobs could be created in the marine sector by 2020.

Ryanair has opposed recommendations for expansion at London’s Heathrow Airport, saying that the only solution to the airport capacity crisis in the south-east of England lies in more runways at all three of the city’s main hubs.