Royal Bank of Scotland —owner of Ulster Bank — reported a sharp rise in losses in the first quarter yesterday and cautioned on the timing of a return to dividend payouts as lower income, restructuring costs, and sluggish asset sales underscored the challenges still facing the lender.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group and the UK government have agreed to scrap the state’s rights to preferential dividends, paving the way for the bank to return capital to shareholders as early as next year.

Shares in Clydesdale Bank now run by former AIB boss David Duffy rose up to 2.4% yesterday in their London debut, valuing the British lender at about £1.62bn (€2.14bn).

Royal Bank of Scotland — the parent of Ulster Bank — will sound out potential buyers for Williams & Glyn after receiving a number of approaches while continuing preparations for an initial public offering of the consumer bank.

Santander UK is reportedly considering a surprise bid for 300 Royal Bank of Scotland branches in the UK after pulling out of the same deal three years ago.

Royal Bank of Scotland could be asked to increase the size of the Williams & Glyn business, its subsidiary of which outgoing Ulster Bank CEO, Jim Brown is due to head up, which it plans to sell next year after the British government asked for a speedy review of its impact on competition in the banking market.

Ulster Bank chief executive Jim Brown is to leave the his role at the head of the bank to take up a position in the UK.

State-backed Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed to pay £1.5bn to the British taxpayer in a complex deal ultimately enabling it to resume future dividend payouts and which it hopes will accelerate its tortuous return to the private sector.

UK taxpayer-backed Royal Bank of Scotland is closing 44 branches across the UK - including 14 classed as “last banks in town”.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group CEO Ross McEwan moved to reassure staff that there will be “no big announcement” on job cuts when the lender publishes the results of its strategic review next week.

State-backed Royal Bank of Scotland will begin a new chapter today as New Zealander Ross McEwan takes over the helm.

One of the bidders vying to buy 315 branches from Royal Bank of Scotland today insisted its £1.5bn (€1.75bn) plan will pave the way for a “strong challenger bank”.

A plan to turn 316 branches owned by Royal Bank of Scotland into a state-backed business lender is reportedly being considered in Whitehall.

Spanish bank Santander today looked set to be the only firm bidder in the auction of 318 branches being sold by Royal Bank of Scotland.

The owner of the Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks has held talks with Spain’s BBVA about working together on a deal to buy the £1.5bn (€1.76bn) network of 318 branches being sold by Royal Bank of Scotland, it was reported today.

Royal Bank of Scotland is to pay bonuses totalling £1.3bn (€1.47bn) to its investment bankers despite expectations of grim annual results tomorrow.

Plans to prop up part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will be put to a shareholder vote today.

Royal Bank of Scotland said today that it would have to sell more of its businesses than originally planned to gain European approval for state support.