The imposition of a bank levy will hit short-term profits, but this will be more than compensated for by the removal of limits on the amount of deferred tax assets that can be written off against future profits.

Uncertainty will hang over the future of Ulster Bank until the UK Treasury conducts a review in the autumn that will decide its fate.

The bank stress tests will be held in two phases with an asset quality review scheduled for later this year followed by stress tests in the first half of next year, the deputy governor of the Central Bank, Matthew Elderfield, said.

A Dublin-based PR firm has received over €800,000 (including Vat) in fees in little over three years from the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA).

There is going to have to be significant EU treaty change within the next few years to enable further EU integration, according to the EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Olli Rehn.

If the Government offloads its stakes in Bank of Ireland and AIB, it will only do so for a price much higher than the value of €8bn by the National Pension Reserve Fund, said Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

Concerns have been raised over the potential of the latest EU agreement to reduce Ireland’s debt to manageable levels and pave the way for a return to sovereign bond markets in 2013.

THE total amount that NAMA will spend on tainted bank loans will amount to around €37 billion, it was confirmed yesterday.

BANKS must help bail out people struggling to repay mortgages and shoulder some of the pain, according to the Master of the High Court.

EUROPEAN markets closed significantly weaker yesterday, prompted by fears of a tightening interest rate outlook in the months ahead.

AER Lingus could cut routes from Shannon and Dublin this winter if the Government does not scrap the air travel tax which is causing “serious damage” to the airline.

CAPITAL gains tax was increased by a further 3% to 25% in yesterday’s emergency Budget.

YOU quote (February 5) Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s appeal to all sections of society to put their shoulders to the wheel. Does this mean all workers will get the same time off next Christmas/new year as all Oireachtas members have just had.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern’s trip to Dallas and Washington for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations cost €51,000, according to details released to the Oireachtas yesterday.