Anglo Irish Bank profit beats forecasts

Anglo Irish Bank beat market forecasts with a 35 per cent rise in first-half profits today and said it was well placed to grow…

Anglo Irish Bank beat market forecasts with a 35 per cent rise in first-half profits today and said it was well placed to grow in its core Irish and UK markets where the economic outlook was good.

Ireland's third-biggest commercial bank posted a pre tax profit of €308.4 million for the six months to March 2005 and a 30 per cent increase in earnings per share to 33.35 cents.

"The outlook for the Irish and UK economies, which are core to us, remains positive and the strength of the bank's presence in each market positions us well for future growth," chairman Sean FitzPatrick added in the statement.