Irish house prices will see the biggest increases anywhere in Europe this year despite the Central Bank’s hotly debated interventions to curb inflation in the market.

The NTMA will raise up to €2bn through a 30-year bond that could be issued as early as today. It will be the first 30-year bond in the history of the State.

DBRS, the world’s fourth-largest credit rating company, has agreed to be acquired by the Carlyle Group and Warburg Pincus for about $500m (€409m).

A leading &credit ratings agency has restored Ireland’s A rating, a move which will significantly help the country’s borrowing costs.

An upcoming roadshow for Ryanair has been met with a warm investor reception but the borrower will likely have to field queries about its ambitious expenditure programme and a fall in profits.

Standard & Poor’s rating agency has upgraded Spain’s sovereign credit grade a notch, the third agency to do so in recent months and a further sign that the country is turning the corner after five years of economic turmoil.

The growth in shadow banking across the eurozone will not compensate for the fall off in traditional bank lending as banks continue to deleverage, according to a new report by ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P).

Surging house prices in Dublin and other urban centres will moderate from 2015 onwards as supply constraints becomes less acute and mortgage arrears work their way through the market, according to a report by the ratings agency Standard & Poor’s.

Portugal exchanged €6.64bn of bonds to reduce debt repayments due in the next two years as it tries to exit its €78bn international bailout without needing another rescue.

Everybody seems to love our Lucinda

NTMA chief John Corrigan’s assertion that Moody’s sub-investment grade rating of Ireland is contributing to our massive borrowing costs is absolutely correct.

The leadership crisis at Barclays showed no signs of easing today after the frontrunner for the role of chairman reportedly withdrew from the race.

Standard & Poor’s has lowered Spain’s long-term credit rating by two notches, saying the country’s budget problems are likely to get worse because of the weak economy.

Spain and Italy will be downgraded by Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s this year as the recession and debt crisis worsen, economists and strategists at Citigroup said.

International ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded Cyprus’s credit rating by one notch to Ba1.

Ratings agency Moody’s downgraded Greece to the lowest point on its bond scale, following a deal with private investors that would see them ultimately lose 70% of their holdings in the country’s debt.

Bord Gáis says it can save €120m in start-up costs if it is given the task of establishing the proposed national Irish Water utility — expected to serve more than 1.5m customers by 2014.

Ratings agency Fitch has cut Greece’s long-term ratings to its lowest rating above a default, becoming the first ratings agency to make the widely expected downgrade after the country announced a bond exchange plan to ease its massive debt burden.

US ratings agency Fitch says it is downgrading the credit ratings of five countries that use the euro, including economic heavyweights Italy and Spain.

US ratings agency Fitch says it is downgrading the credit ratings of five countries that use the euro, including economic heavyweights Italy and Spain.

BANK of Ireland Plc and Irish Life & Permanent Plc had their credit ratings affirmed by Standard & Poor’s, along with two other banks, and were given negative outlooks.

There was no “sound and fury” on European markets today despite the loss of France’s gold-plated AAA credit rating and speculation over Greece’s future in the eurozone.

CREDIT rating agency Fitch told the eurozone last night it thinks a comprehensive solution to the bloc’s debt crisis is beyond reach, as it put a number of the bloc’s economies including Ireland on watch for potential downgrades.

STANDARD & Poor’s (S&P) is to warn that Germany and France may be stripped of their triple-A credit ratings as the debt crisis prompts all 17 euro nations to be put on review for a possible downgrade, said two officials familiar with the S&P decision.

The credit rating for France has not been downgraded by Standard & Poor’s, the company said today, clarifying what it says was an accidental transmission of a message to some subscribers that it had downgraded the nation’s credit.

Spain’s credit rating has been cut for a third time in less than three years.

AVOCA Capital Holdings is planning to use a record cash hoard to buy high-yield debt that has plummeted 8.4% since July, the co-founder of the €6 billion Dublin-based fund said.

PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy ordered his finance and budget ministers tofind new ways to prune the public deficit, as markets fretted over France’s strained finances and banks following a US debt downgrade.

PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy ordered his finance and budget ministers tofind new ways to prune the public deficit, as markets fretted over France’s strained finances and banks following a US debt downgrade.

ECONOMISTS have cut their forecasts for Ireland’s mid-term growth, a Reuters poll showed yesterday, underlining the challenge facing the government as it tries to cut its debt mountain.

THE ISEQ lost more ground yesterday to close down 71.21 points at 2,639.15. Markets were hit by a global sell-off of equities as growth concerns in the US spurred further risk aversion.

Despite the economic compromise, the US could still lose its coveted AAA debt rating some time in the next six months, largely because the agreement does not cut enough spending.

News Corporation shares rallied today amid reports it may bring forward plans to split Rupert Murdoch’s chairman and chief executive role in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

Ireland’s downgrading to junk status has sparked anger and frustration, prompting use of the phrase ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ from some quarters. But some say ratings agencies are more than just messengers, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

President Barack Obama summoned leaders of both parties to the White House to hammer out a deal to stave off a US debt default with the potential to trigger a major, worldwide financial crisis.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s main coalition ally has warned the government could collapse over an unpopular austerity plan.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi overcame coalition infighting to win a vote of confidence, his first parliamentary test since suffering two stinging electoral losses.

AIB is hopeful of raising at least €1.6 billion of its re-stated capital requirements from ‘burning’ junior bondholders.

GREEK protesters have vowed to surround parliament today to prevent deputies from debating new austerity measures, as unions said they would bring the country to a halt in a national strike.

US TREASURY Secretary Timothy Geithner reassured investors that White House and Republican lawmakers will reach a deal to control the nation’s finances, downplaying a warning that the government risks losing its coveted debt rating if it fails to do so.

PORTUGAL looks set to follow Ireland into the EU/IMF bailout fund after its parliament voted against another round of austerity measures aimed at averting such a bailout.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the Spanish government’s debt, joining two other major credit rating agencies which have taken similar steps out of concern over the country’s public finances.

CENTRAL Bank governor Patrick Honohan has said that the bailout cost regarding Anglo Irish Bank may well amount to less than recent estimates have suggested.

IRELAND could face a further downgrade from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) as the ratings agency expects the country to inject as much as €35 billion into Anglo Irish Bank “over time”.