A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
AWAS in multibillion Airbus deal
Dublin-based aircraft leasing group AWAS has placed an order with Airbus for 100 new aircraft that have a list price of $6.9 billion (€4.69 billion).
AWAS will take ownership of 75 new Airbus A320s over the next few years, with an option for an additional 25 aircraft at a later date.
AWAS is the world's third-biggest aircraft leasing company following its acquisition last June of Pegasus Aviation Finance.
The leasing group established its headquarters in Dublin last year and employs about 65 staff here.
Earnings may rise up to 20% - Anglo
Anglo Irish Bank's earnings may rise between 15 per cent and 20 per cent in the "medium and long term", according to a copy of the presentation given by the bank's chief executive, David Drumm, to Davy's investment conference in New York on Tuesday. "Any permanent excess capital will be returned to shareholders," Mr Drumm said in his presentation, which was posted on the bank's website.
Anglo Irish Bank was the worst performer among the Irish financial stocks yesterday, as its shares fell 4.3 per cent to €9.82.
CRH begins share buyback project
CRH has commenced its share buyback, acquiring 184,842 shares this week.
The company disclosed to the Irish Stock Exchange that UBS had bought 82,500 shares on Monday at prices between €24.39 and €25.25 and a further 102,342 shares on Tuesday at prices between €24 and €24.70.
The company announced its intention earlier this month to acquire up to 5 per cent of its issued share capital - 27.35 million shares - and hold them in treasury.
Amarin completes epilepsy drug test
Drug development group Amarin has completed early testing on a nasal spray that can treat epileptic seizures.
The company, a spin-off from Irish biotech group Elan, says it will now work with a subsidiary of Elan to prepare the drug for clinical trials.
Amarin, which recently acquired Israeli group Ester Neurosciences in a deal worth up to $32 million (€21.8 million), saw its value collapse last year when trials of a Huntington's disease drug, for which it had high hopes, failed.
Kingspan shares change hands
Another 4.25 million shares in building materials group Kingspan changed hands yesterday, following a period in which US fund Capital Research and Management built up a €112 million stake in the group.
Capital Research bought over half its 10 million-plus holding in the company last week, and is understood to have only begun buying into the Cavan-based group recently.
It is the management and advisory arm to American Funds, one of the three biggest investment and pension providers in the US.
Elan plans quick rollout for Tysabri
Elan is planning for a quick rollout of its Tysabri drug as a treatment for Crohn's disease if it wins approval from the US regulator. A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision is expected on or before Monday.
Chief executive Kelly Martin told a healthcare conference in the US that Elan would target a 40,000 subset of Crohn's patients currently on therapies such as Remicade and Humira.
The conference heard existing treatments fail in up to 60 per cent of such cases, creating a $600 million (€409 million) market opportunity for Elan.
A decision on approval was initially due in October following a recommendation by the FDA's advisory committee but it was pushed back. Elan was reported to be confident of securing approval, despite adverse rulings in Europe.
