There have been more technical troubles at RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank.

Royal Bank of Scotland’s top investment banker today insisted he had resigned to take full responsibility for staff who rigged interest rates.

The UK's trading watchdog has imposed new requirements on NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), following concerns about banks apparently being overly-zealous when linking people’s unpaid debts to their homes.

Ulster Bank has paid more than £18m (€14m) to almost 300,000 customers in the North hit by IT problems over the summer.

Ulster Bank customers hit by the month-long IT meltdown which crippled the bank are to be offered a one-off compensation payment and free banking for three months.

The RBS banking group tonight reported its operations had returned to normal after thousands of customers had problems with online banking and debit cards.

Ulster Bank customers are unlikely to receive compensation in addition to covering costs caused by the bank’s computer crisis, if the wider RBS Group’s plan is followed.

Ulster Bank’s chief executive has effectively been forced to give up any potential bonus this year, in a bid to stop a growing PR disaster for the IT-crash firm.

Ulster Bank has been ordered to compensate any customers affected by its IT systems crash — which could last into the second half of this month.

Furious Ulster Bank customers look set to ignore pleas to stay loyal with the firm, by jumping ship to rival financial institutions.

Some duplicate mortgage payments in the UK were mistakenly taken from customers during NatWest’s IT meltdown, the bank’s group has confirmed.

Ulster Bank has said that the technical problems which have affected over 150,000 customers could continue into next week.

Ulster Bank’s irate customers can expect to face another week of financial chaos as the bank said it could be next Monday before the technical problem is resolved.

Ulster Bank today said it has made "steady progress" over the weekend to resolve its payments backlog, but "normal service" has not yet resumed.

Scandal-hit Ulster Bank’s chief executive Jim Brown could still pick up a lucrative bonus this year, despite the head of the wider RBS Group foregoing the “inappropriate” payment.

At least 60,000 people will be unable to receive their social welfare for the second week running today as the Ulster Bank fiasco enters its tenth day.

Ulster Bank is continuing to work on a backlog of payments after a major computer glitch caused havoc in their system last week.

The major IT failure which has caused havoc to Ulster Bank and the wider RBS Group has been fixed in Britain — but has yet to be solved in Ireland.

Ulster Bank is warning that it may be the start of next week before a full service is restored.

While Irish workers, those on welfare, and pensioners have been badly damaged by the Ulster Bank crisis, their problems pale into insignificance compared to those faced by one seven- year-old cancer sufferer.

More than 100,000 people caught up in the Ulster Bank crisis could be in line for compensation once the scandal is resolved.

National Irish Bank has confirmed that it experienced a technical issue this morning on its systems.

Bank customers were facing more frustration today after the IT fiasco affecting Ulster Bank, NatWest and RBS dragged into a sixth day.

Stephen Hester, the chief executive of Ulster Bank and NatWest owner RBS, tonight apologised for technical hitches which left customers unable to pay bills or access their money.

Up to 100,000 people are still affected by a technical glitch at Ulster Bank that has been going on since Wednesday.

Two of the largest banking groups in Britain have said their Irish operations pose their biggest problems for loan book recovery.

More than 200 jobs are being cut at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), owners of Ulster Bank, it was confirmed today.

Rate-setters elected to pump an extra £25bn (€27.9bn) into the British economy today amid concerns over getting the UK's faltering recovery out of recession.

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to end its backing of the Williams Formula One team at the end of their current agreement, as a result of the economic downturn.

Royal Bank of Scotland today abandoned plans to sell its insurance arm, which includes the Direct Line, Churchill and Privilege brands.

Fears were growing for hundreds of jobs at an Irish financial institution today as bank chiefs review global operations.

Investors in Barclays will meet today to approve a £7bn (€8.2bn) fund-raising which could put almost a third of the bank in the hands of Middle East investors.

A full review of Royal Bank of Scotland gets under way today after shareholders overwhelmingly approved a £20bn (€23bn) bail-out plan for the company.

Shareholders in Royal Bank of Scotland today approved a £20bn (€23.5bn) bail-out plan which could put nearly 60% of the company in public hands.

ULSTER BANK is ceasing its sponsorship of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award due to SEC rules regarding auditor independence arising from RBS Group’s acquisition of ABN AMRO.

IRISH services firm Resource has bought British-based Pall Mall for €28.5 million, in a move that will see it increase its annual revenues to €215m.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group today became the latest bank to launch a mobile phone banking service for its customers.

THE euro is testing a two-year high against the dollar as we go to print, and before the year is out, we could well see it rise to tackle $1.36 — the euro’s lifetime high, reached on New Year’s Eve 2004.

IT’S a little early to be writing eulogies since the changeover won’t actually take place until next February, but last week, US President George W Bush announced that Ben Bernanke will succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve in 2006.

THE summer lull in foreign exchange markets came to an abrupt end last week, when the euro rallied to a three-month high against the dollar.

OIL’S not called black gold for nothing. The cost of the commodity soared last week, reaching a record high of $66 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

ULSTER Bank Group has reported solid first-half profits, driven by good mortgage and business lending across the island.

FOLLOWING weeks of anticipation, we now finally know the result of the British general election. Labour and Prime Minister Blair have won a record third term of office; however, an electorate apparently angry with the government’s support for the war in Iraq substantially reduced Labour’s majority.

THE euro fell against the dollar last week, partly because of rising US interest rates, but also due to an agreement struck by EU finance ministers last weekend.