Non-core activities mar RBS's performance

There were plenty of numbers to look at in the results of part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), not all of them bad, but the ones that are likely to garner the most attention are the huge loss attributable to shareholders and the massive amounts paid out in bonuses.

There were plenty of numbers to look at in the results of part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), not all of them bad, but the ones that are likely to garner the most attention are the huge loss attributable to shareholders and the massive amounts paid out in bonuses.

The bank, which is 82% owned by the British tax payer, made a fourth quarter loss before tax of £1,976m, versus a loss of £8m the year before. This loss reduced to £1,798m after tax, so the tax-payer is still subsidising the troubled banking giant one way or another.

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