Asian stock markets partly recovered today after the US government announced a £47.2 billion plan to bail out troubled insurance giant American International Group.

The Bank of Ireland plans to double its corporate Irish business in a growth strategy which has seen it recruit 100 new bankers, the company’s corporate banking chief executive said today.

BUILDING materials company Grafton Group says it had placed $325 million (€267m) worth of seven- and 10-year senior notes with a group of US investors to refinance borrowing.