Merchant bank NIBC is planning to float up to 49.9% of its shares in Amsterdam, the company said at the presentation of its 2006 earnings on Friday. Chairman Michael Enthoven said the bank hadn’t yet decided when the launch would take place.

‘We have also asked ourselves why we have made this announcement now,’ he added, referring to the markets decline in recent days. NIBC booked net profit of €288m last year, an increase of 82% on 2005.