John Campbell
BBC News NI Economics and Business Editor

Danske Bank in Northern Ireland saw its pre-tax profit fall by 94% in the first half of 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It made a profit of £2.9m compared to £45.9m during the same period in 2019.

The steep fall was due to a loan loss provision of almost £30m.

This is money the bank must set aside to cover loans which it thinks unlikely to be repaid in full.

The bank’s profit before impairments was down from £47.8m to £32.7m.

Danske also saw a surge in deposits from customers during the first half of the year.

They increased by over £1bn from £7.2bn last year to £8.6bn this year, most of that coming in the past three months.

Growing customer deposits have been seen across the banking sector.

According to Bank of England data, deposits into accounts by households increased by a record £25.6bn in May, following strong increases in March (£14.3bn) and April (£16.7bn).

This is likely being driven by ‘precautionary’ and ‘forced’ savings.

Precautionary savings reflects fearful people and businesses preparing for worse times ahead.

Forced savings reflects the fact that better-off households were unable to do their normal discretionary spending on things like eating out, live entertainment and travel.

Danske Bank UK chief executive Kevin Kingston said what happened to that increased saving would be key to any recovery.

"If we are to get the Northern Ireland economy moving again, a lot will depend on how much of this pent up economic capacity turns into consumer spending and business investment," he said.

Louise Cullen
BBC News NI

Image source, PA Media

The Public Health Agency has placed a mobile testing unit at the North West Regional College in Limavady.

It follows the identification of a cluster of Covid-19 infections in the town, after a “social gathering” at a house.

Sixteen new cases of the virus were confirmed yesterday – nine of them were in the Causeway Coast and Glens council area, where Limavady is located.

Four were in Derry and Strabane, with one in Fermanagh & Omagh, and two in Newry and Mourne.

Anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 – a raised temperature, a continuous new cough or a change in their sense of taste or smell – can book a test online at www.pha.site/cvtesting, external.

There are additional test sites at the City of Derry Rugby Club, SSE Arena in Belfast, Craigavon MOT Centre and St. Angelo Airport in Enniskillen.

Image source, Google Maps

Leisure centres in Northern Ireland are allowed to reopen today but public pools will remain closed for now until there is a further decision by the Stormont Executive.

The gradual return of indoor exercise facilities follows the reopening of training facilities for elite athletes on 29 June and the reopening of gyms to the general public on 10 July.

Reopened leisure centres will have to adhere to social distancing rules and customers may have to adjust to some changes.

"It is going to be different as people come in," said Gareth Kirk from GLL, which runs the 'Better' leisure centres across Belfast on behalf of the council.

He told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme that GLL was asking customers to book their gym classes and exercise sessions on an app before they arrive.

"People will only be allowed in for a maxiumum of an hour," he added.

"There won't be any changing rooms available yet - the executive aren't allowing us to use the changing rooms, but there will be toilets available."

Mr Kirk added that GLL was "absolutely desperate" to reopen its pools but he predicted it would be a gradual process and said it would probably be the autumn before pools are able to reopen fully to the public.

Lockdown restrictions could be reimposed if needs be "on a local or regional basis", a Sinn Féin MLA has said.

Caoimhe Archibald was speaking after a cluster of Covid-19 cases was identified in Limavady, County Londonderry, on Thursday.

Speaking on Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, the MLA said where local clusters are being identified "we need to contain them as much as possible".

"The executive has been clear that if restrictions need to be reimposed then that will happen and if it needs to be on a local or regional basis to contain the virus then that can happen."

The Public Health Agency (PHA) said the cluster is linked to a social gathering in a private or residential setting.

Image source, Reuters

Ms Archibald said it is concerning "first and foremost" for those impacted but also "for the local community and more widely".

"It was anticipated that as we began to reopen the economy and society that we may see increased instances and clusters like this.

"That's where the test, trace and isolate comes in and it's absolutely critical for us to be able to contain the virus that those procedures are in place."

The MLA stressed the importance of continuing to follow social distancing guidelines and maintaining good hygiene.

She added the situation would continue to be monitored as it unfolds.

You can read more about the cluster in Limavady here., external

Here's some of the main developments you might have missed from yesterday:

• Everyone in Northern Ireland with symptoms of coronavirus is now eligible for testing, external - children under the age of five are included. If a child is to be tested, parents/guardians will need to arrive at the site prepared to swab the child. Instruction on how to use a Coronavirus (COVID-19) test kit on a child are available here, external.
• 16 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Northern Ireland. Nine of these in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area. No deaths were recorded.
• Irish PM Micheál Martin visited Stormont for the first time since becoming taoiseach. He discussed the two governments' response to coronavirus.

• Employers in Northern Ireland proposed almost 2,500 redundancies in June - the highest monthly figure on record.
• The Public Health Agency identified a cluster of Covid-19 cases in the Limavady area, linking them to a social gathering in a private or residential setting.

Good morning and welcome to our live page coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland.

We'll keep you up to date with the latest developments and news throughout the day.