BKIR.L Share News (BKIR)

UK shares have made a bright start to the week led by the banks after Ireland signed up to the EU/IMF bail-out at the weekend.Royal Bank of Scotland is the best performer. It has the largest exposure of the UK banks to Ireland. Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC are all going well.Bank of Ireland, meanwhile, vowed to raise the €2.2bn demanded under the terms of the Irish bail-out through its own efforts and without the help of the Irish state. The Irish bank has to raise the additional capital by the end of next February or else get the cash from the Irish state, which would amount to effective nationalisation. Miner African Barrick Gold has accelerated its drilling programme at the Nyanzaga Project in Tanzania after more good in-fill results. The miner, which recently suspended 40% of the mining department at its Buzwagi mine in Tanzania following a fuel theft, said its drilling made further successful intersections on the southern extensions with several broad, higher-grade zones of gold mineralization. BP has sold its stake in Argentina-based oil and gas company Pan American Energy (PAE) to Bridas Corporation for $7.06bn (£4.52bn) in cash. BP's 60% will give Bridas, which already owns 40% of the business, full control when the deal completes in 2011. It also puts BP firmly on course to hit its $30bn target of asset sales, announced in July, by the end of next year. Today's deal pushes the total so far to $21bn.UK smartphone users won't rack up such huge bills when travelling in Europe after Vodafone today cut the price of sending emails and surfing the net while abroad. Occasional travellers will be able to take a domestic data plan overseas for €2 (£1.70) per day, 60% less than the company's existing plans. It also includes an increase to the data allowance.Oil and gas explorer Salamander has made a 'highly encouraging' gas discovery at its Angklung-1 exploration well in the Bontang PSC, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Salmander, which is the operator with a 100% interest, says Angklung-1 well flowed gas at a commercial rate and also found a new Upper Miocene oil play, highlighting the potential value in the North Kutei basin. Qantas on Sunday began flying its Airbus 380s for the first time since a mid-air explosion of a Rolls-Royce engine forced one of the Australian airline's jets to make an emergency landing earlier in November. Luxury interior furnishings group Walker Greenbank said full year pre-tax profits are expected to be materially ahead of market forecasts after a robust autumn period. The group, whose brands include Sanderson, Morris & Co., Harlequin and Zoffany, said, "During the past few weeks, the company's brands have achieved their highest-ever level of sales of wallpapers and fabrics."