BANK of Ireland is still rated a buying opportunity since its recent loss in share value, according to Merrion Stockbrokers.

BANK of Ireland and AIB shares plunged more than 5% yesterday as the banks said non-participation in NAMA could have led to nationalisation.

DESPITE mixed fortunes for the share prices of the Irish banks yesterday, two of the three players were down on a generally good day for the ISEQ.

SHARES in Bank of Ireland inched higher yesterday on the back of a double boost for the company.

IRELAND’s two biggest banks — AIB and Bank of Ireland — are likely to make losses for the next two years, according to one of the country’s leading stockbroking firms.

NO Irish bank is immune from the current financial turmoil and none is likely to turn their back on the Government-backed proposed €10 billion recapitalisation bailout, banking analysts believe.

MASSIVE bad debt write-offs are expected to cut billions of euro off the profits of Ireland’s main financial institutions — AIB Bank, Bank of Ireland, Irish Life and Permanent and Anglo Irish Bank — over the next 12 months.

THE lack of inter-bank funding may have precipitated the state’s €450 billion guarantee of bank loans and deposits last week, but it is far from the full picture.

THE Government will have to invest billions in the republic’s banks to offset huge losses on property backed loans, according to banking experts.