In helping to clarify the status of our institution and shed light on its special characteristics, these court decisions should put an end to certain arguments and reduce the fluctuations in the Bank’s share price.
In the foreword to the Annual Report, when I mention unjustified speculation concerning these shares, I mean that these fluctuations originated because of legal arguments which we consider to be incorrect, and which the judgments so far have also refuted. *** In 2005, the Bank’s profits improved, mainly as a result of the increase in the amount of euro banknotes in circulation (+15 p.c.