Revenue and earnings climbed at Vodafone Ireland in the 12 months to the end of March last, writes Ciara O’Brien. The company nonetheless reported an operating loss for the year, driven by investment and anaemic international travel.
The State-backed Infrastructure Investment Fund (IIF) confirmed it has agreed to sell three of four of its assets to UK infrastructure investor John Laing in a deal estimated to be worth about €1 billion. Joe Brennan has details of the deal, which includes a contract to operate the Convention Centre Dublin.
Russian airlines have held exploratory talks with at least one major western leasing firm about using state funds to buy some of the more than 400 aircraft stranded in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, according to documents and sources. The world’s largest aircraft leasing companies are based in the Republic.
In his weekly column, John FitzGerald takes stock of the economy as the end of 2022 approaches, judging that the State is in a good position to fund more investment in houses, infrastructure and tackling climate change.
Sam Bankman-Fried was released on a $250 million (€236 million) bail package last night after making his first US court appearance to face fraud charges over the collapse of FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange he cofounded. Two close associates have pleaded guilty to fraud and are co-operating with the prosecution.
Department of Finance officials had considered calling on the Central Bank to have a formal focus on competition in Irish financial services as they neared completion of a review of retail banking, according to documents released to The Irish Times under freedom-of-information laws. However, this was tempered in the final report, published at the end of last month, the documents show. Joe Brennan has more.
He also writes that S&P has upgraded its credit rating for Permanent TSB and its outlook for Bank of Ireland and AIB, as it expects the quality of the lenders’ loan books to continue to improve even as the economy slows.
A company controlled by the members of U2 has bought out its partner firm in the band’s planned “world class” U2 visitor centre and exhibition space in Dublin’s docklands. It is now almost four years since U2 firm MHEC Ltd and businessman Paddy McKillen snr’s investment property company Golden Brook Ltd secured planning permission for the U2 visitor centre and exhibition space at Hanover Quay. Gordon Deegan reports.
Part one of our big end-year Inside Business podcast has landed. Listen here to Cliff Taylor and Joe Brennan reviewing the highs and lows of the last 12 months.
And finally, why not try your hand at Ciara O’Brien’s big Christmas Tech Quiz? Prizes include a Google Pixel 7 smartphone.
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