In a pre-closing statement released to the Irish Stock Exchange this morning, insurance, financial services and property group FBD Holdings said it expected its 2005 earnings to be in line with market expectations.
The company said it had "traded strongly in the year to date".
It will remain focused on growing market share in its core insurance business and on maximising the advantages of its direct sales business model.
However, FBD cautioned that price competition is continuing in the Irish insurance market and this "will drive the combined ratio to European norms in due course."