Anglo Irish Bank said this afternoon that trading had been excellent in the first quarter of its financial year and predicted a "very strong" 2004.
The State's third-biggest commercial bank, which specialises in loans to small and medium-sized businesses, said in a statement its profits were ahead for the three months to end-December, compared with the same period last year, and that it also had real confidence for 2005.
"The bank has enjoyed an excellent first quarter with profits well up on the corresponding period last year and ahead of budget," Anglo Irish Chairman Mr Peter Murray told the bank's annual general meeting.
"Lending activity has been strong, and our pipeline has shown further growth."
He said the board was encouraged by the positive first-quarter performance, "which points to a very strong full-year out-turn for 2004".
"Indeed, the strong lending activity to date together with our current pipeline, given the term nature of our loan book, also gives us real confidence in respect of the bank's prospects for 2005," he said.
Anglo Irish enjoyed its best year to date in 2003, with full-year profits jumping 33 per cent to 346.5 million euros for the 12 months to the end of September.
Earnings per share gained 34 per cent to 78 euro cents.
Anglo Irish has been one of the top performers in the market due to a conservative lending policy, which has kept loan-loss provisions down, and to keeping its costs low.