Danske Bank's Northern Ireland operations to be stripped out
Danske Bank's Northern Ireland operations are to become a standalone business unit instead of part of the Danish bank's personal banking and business banking. The move will take effect from January 2016 and Danske Bank Northern Ireland will be disclosed in financial statements as a separate business unit. This restructuring has led to speculation that Danske Bank plans to sell the unit, however, a spokesman for the bank stated: "We are happy with our activities in Northern Ireland and have no plans to sell".&nbsp;
Danske’s shares rose more than 4% to their highest since July 2007 and were one of the biggest gainers in the FTSEurofirst 300 index. Denmark’s largest bank by market value has had to cut costs to cope with slow growth rates in its main market, Denmark, after a property bubble burst and has sought market share in countries such as Norway and Sweden.

It now plans to run its business in the North, which operates under the Danske Bank brand, as a standalone business. It has a market share of 20% in personal banking in Northern Ireland and 28% in business banking.