Bank assures investors over full-year profits

ROYAL Bank of Scotland, owners of Ulster Bank in Ireland, yesterday assured investors that its full-year profits are likely to be in line with market predictions.

This puts it on track to announce pre-tax profits before exceptional items of between stg£6.4 and £6.45 billion.

In a pre-close trading statement, RBS said it would report continued strong growth and a further reduction in cost/income ratios when its annual results are posted on February 27.