The Irish Times Business and Finance Christmas Quiz has been won by Mr John Roe, owner of the News & Gifts retail outlet at the Killiney Shopping Centre, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. He will receive a case of Ch La Cardonne 1995, Cru Bourgeois.
The participants' prize has been won by Ms Helen Breen, Killeigh, Blackwater, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. She will receive a bottle of Churchills Vintage Port, 1991.
The answers are as follows:
(1) Michael Smurfit said "a very nasty little event to happen in one's life, but that's what I'm paid for";
(2) The flotation price of Eircom was €3.90 (£3.07);
(3) Waterford Wedgwood took a 14.9 per cent stake in Royal Doulton;
(4) It was false to say (a) Powerscreen was sold to Ansbacher (Cayman) for £181 million sterling (€295 million), (b) Mr Gerry Scanlan said "a bank's duty to its customers is crucial" and (c) Eircom made a bid for Esat;
(5) Mr William Prasifka was appointed the new aviation regulator;
(6) A subsidiary of AIB placed the Dana shares it purchased in two AIB pension funds;
(7) Mr David Dilger said "it's pie in the sky";
(8) There are 1.7 million people working in the Republic, according to the CSO;
(9) It was false to say (a) Heiton made a bid for Grafton Group (b) the Millennium candle is three feet tall and (c) Telia decided to give the casting vote to Telenor;
(10) The annual rate of inflation to mid-November was 2.1 per cent;
(11) Horizon Technology shares surged 156 per cent on the first day of trading;
(12) Chesapeake made a £191 million bid for Boxmore;
(13) Mr Dermot Desmond is estimated to have made £55 million (€70 million) by selling two million shares in Baltimore;
(14) It was true to say (a) Smartforce announced plans to recruit an extra 215 staff over the next three years, (b) Ocean said it would eliminate its minimum home call charges from January 1st but false to say (c) KPN and Telia said they would increase their stake in Eircom;
(15) Ulster Bank generated £81.7 million profit in the first half of 1999;
(16) Mr Denis O'Brien said the ESB would be brought "kicking and screaming" into the room to sell electricity at wholesale prices to competitors;
(17) CRH increased its pre-tax profit by 46 per cent in the first half of 1999;
(18) It was false to say (a) J A Hickey did not go into voluntary liquidation, true to say (b) Cooley Distiller predicted a doubling of profits to £400,000 and false to say (c) Xerox announced an expansion to create six new jobs;
(19) Mr Steve Ballmer said "the PC will not go away";
(20) The Munster & Leinster Bank, Provincial Bank and Royal Bank amalgamated in 1966 to form AIB
