SUMITOMO Mitsui Financial Group, Japan’s second biggest bank by market value, won a bid to buy Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc’s Dublin-based aircraft-leasing division for about $7.3 billion (€5.764bn).

BANK of Ireland announced a disposal yesterday and BNP Paribas was said to be looking to sell a package of assets, as Europe’s banks step up plans to raise funds to help meet tougher capital rules.