The US fund Lone Star has acquired the bulk of Anglo Irish Bank’s €7bn UK loan book sold by the special liquidators for IBRC.

Ireland is one of top-four active markets in Europe for portfolio transactions, says Margaret Kelleher.

Winner of the best site name I’ve heard in a while — Wallpaper Rock Scissors has your walls covered.

A house that’s easy on the eye — and even easier to live in. And, now, Rock House can easily be all yours, if you have €695,000 or so to spare.

James Fanshawe’s star sprinter Society Rock will be retired to Tally-Ho Stud in Co Westmeath at the end of the season.

Gordon Lord Byron made amends for his narrow defeat 12 months ago when running away with the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock.

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With a cold spell due and storms into March, we have the hot fashions to keep you warm. AnnemarieO’Connor reports

Ulster Bank League Division 1A: Blackrock College 14 Cork Constitution 17

A DISTRICT court judge has refused to grant a licence for a commercially run bingo hall in Cork which would have given 10% of its proceeds to charities.

PERMANENT TSB has agreed a deal to acquire the €650 million-plus Irish deposit book of British lender Northern Rock as it seeks to improve its stretched funding position and ensure a standalone future.

PUBLICANS are driving their customers home, offering free rounds of drink and running book clubs in a bid to attract customers.

The 100% guarantee on savings deposits held with Northern Rock is to be lifted in three months, the British Treasury said today.

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1A:

SEDGEFIELD: 2.20: Farmers Cross

The European Commission today approved the British government’s plans for splitting Northern Rock in two – a “good” bank and a “bad” bank.

European Commission backing for the sell-off of Northern Rock raised hopes today of a UK government clawback of taxpayers’ cash ploughed into the nationalised bank.

Hopes of more competition among the UK’s struggling banks were lifted today after it was disclosed that Richard Branson’s Virgin Money has applied to become a bank.

British taxpayer support for mortgage lender Northern Rock did not have a “significantly adverse impact” on competition in the past year, the UK's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said today.

LAURELS finalist Chicken Supper made short work of his rivals in the Douglas and District Lions Club Stakes, the feature at a very well attended benefit meeting in aid of St Columba’s Girls Shool at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

British prime minister Gordon Brown said today that his government would do everything it can to maintain the stability of the financial system and protect depositors.

A controversial plan to build an 83-bed hotel and office blocks on a convent site near the Rock of Cashel has been refused planning permission, it emerged today.

Northern Rock said most of its recent home repossessions related to a mortgage product that allowed customers to borrow up to 125% of their home value.

Around 20% of Northern Rock’s mortgage customers face the prospect of negative equity next year as house prices slump in the UK, it was reported today.

A last-ditch Conservative Party bid to reverse the nationalisation of Northern Rock was thwarted in the British parliament today.

The former boss of Northern Rock will be entitled to a £760,000 (€954,300) payoff despite the bank being rescued by the Government, it was confirmed today.

The City watchdog pledged today to shake up its supervision of the UK’s largest banks after admitting a series of blunders in its handling of the Northern Rock crisis.

The nationalisation of Northern Rock will begin in earnest today as MPs debate giving ministers emergency powers.

Investors in stricken bank Northern Rock today faced the prospect of getting next to nothing for their shares after the British government’s decision to nationalise the lender.

UK Chancellor Alistair Darling will today put forward emergency legislation in Parliament to nationalise Northern Rock.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Group may be forced to pay as much as £200m (€268m) to the Government if it succeeds in rescuing Northern Rock, a report said today.

Crisis-hit lender Northern Rock’s £24bn (€32bn) taxpayer debts have been taken on to the public balance sheet, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said today.

The British government is left today with just two options if it is to avoid nationalising the stricken Northern Rock bank after one of the main contenders pulled out hours before the bid deadline.

Shares in Northern Rock surged today as bidders finalised their proposals for the crisis-hit mortgage lender.

The UK government’s deadline for rescue bids for crisis-hit mortgage lender Northern Rock expires today with a trio of possible deals on the table.

The UK Treasury today confirmed plans to back a private-sector rescue of Northern Rock through the sale of government-guaranteed bonds to pay off the crisis-hit lender's £24bn (€32.3bn) debts.

Northern Rock said today it has agreed to sell £2.2bn (€2.9bn) of its mortgage assets to a US investment bank.

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Crisis-hit Northern Rock saw shares soar 10% today as reports suggested Olivant’s hopes of rescuing the beleaguered lender had been given a boost.

Northern Rock appeared to have borrowed another £2.7bn (€3.7bn) from the Bank of England this week amid signs of a further tightening in financial markets.

Northern Rock’s biggest shareholder is today hoping for an improved offer for the lender after querying the value of the salvage bid led by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

A consortium led by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group is expected to be named today as preferred buyer for Northern Rock.

Beleaguered Northern Rock led the London market into the red today after would-be rescuers came forward with cut-price salvage plans.

British Chancellor Alistair Darling will set out the UK government’s principles for the sale of troubled lender Northern Rock today.