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Opening Bell: AIB is cutting rates, IDA says 'Yes', and Patrick Honohan is going

AIB has announced it's cutting mortgage interest rates on both owner occupier and buy to let mort...
Newstalk
Newstalk

07.46 1 May 2015


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Opening Bell: AIB is cutting r...

Opening Bell: AIB is cutting rates, IDA says 'Yes', and Patrick Honohan is going

Newstalk
Newstalk

07.46 1 May 2015


Share this article


AIB has announced it's cutting mortgage interest rates on both owner occupier and buy to let mortgages. These rate reductions will apply to both new and existing customers.

The bank says it's reducing the standard variable rate by a quarter of a percent to 3.9 percent. It follows calls from Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday for banks to cut their mortgage interest rates. 

The lower SVR rates come in to effect from early June, while the revised fixed rates will be introduced next week. These rate reductions will apply to both new and existing customers.

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It's the second rate cut by AIB in 6 months.

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The head of the IDA says a Yes vote in the marriage referendum would be good for Ireland, business and the individual.

Speaking to the Irish Times, Martin Shanahan said: "We have seen the business community here advocating a Yes vote, saying that a Yes vote would be good for Ireland, good for business, good for the individual."

Mr. Shanahan says most of the IDA's multinational clients in the US have come out in favour of same sex marriage.

When asked if it is appropriate for the head of a state body to get involved in this debate he said that the IDA is an apolitical body - and that it had not campaigned on the issue.

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Jean-Claude Trichet says he did not threaten to withdraw funding from Ireland's banks in November 2010.

He's also insisted he never stopped Ireland from burning its bondholders - but did warn that it was a bad idea. He told the members of the Banking Inquiry that the Troika were only in Ireland because the government had asked for their help.

"The government of Ireland takes the decision. First off, the Troika is there because they have to present the case then either to the IMF or to the European Council, and Europe decides whether or not to help," he said.

Mr Trichet also said the country has come out stronger from the bailout.

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The Governor of the Central Bank Patrick Honohan is to retire early. A formal announcement is expected at the publication of the bank's annual report today.

Patrick Honohan was appointed to the role of Governor in September 2009 and was to serve a seven year term. But he will now retire by the end of this year, meaning he will leave the post up to a year early.

The Central Bank is making little comment on the matter ahead of the press conference, other than to say it is a "personal decision".

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An Post recorded an operating profit of €5.9m last year having suffered losses of more than €11m the previous year.

The group completed its €40m Mails Automation programme during the year a period during which traditional letter volumes continued to fall – down more than 3 percent - but contract parcels and packets business grew by 6 percent.

Staff numbers reduced by more than 200 during the year, while the post office network throughout the country was largely unchanged at 1,140.

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Greece's reshuffled negotiating team is said to be close to a deal with its international creditors.

The Syriza government is said to be considering scaling back its demands regarding pensions, labour market reforms and privatisations while it return the EU may reduce its primary surplus requirements.

After last Friday's fiery Eurogroup meeting in Riga, Yanis Varoufakis is no longer leading the Greek negotiating team - he has been replaced by the more moderate economist, Euclid Tsakolotos.

Reports today suggest that a compromise could be reached early next week - this week began with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras suggesting that a deal would be done by the end of this week.


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