Internet access for households in Cyprus continued to rise in 2014 reaching 68.6% compared to 64.7% in 2013, a survey issued by the Statistical Service reports.

Bank of Cyprus posted a €76 million profit in the first nine months of the year saying its deposits were starting to stabilize while the quality of its loan portfolio remained challenging with rising non-performing loans.

Cyprus may start selling natural gas to Egypt by 2018 if the two countries reach an agreement to link gas from the Aphrodite field operated by Noble Energy to Egypt’s liquefactions plant.

RCB Bank Ltd., the Limassol-based ‘systemic’ bank that passed the recent ECB capital strength tests with flying colours, has raised $124.2 mln in fresh equity by selling a 19.85% stake to Otkritie Financial Corporation Bank.

Nicosia and Cairo agreed recently to speed up talks for exporting Cypriot gas to Egypt as the island appeared to switch track from onshore LNG to pipelines.

Cyprus’ heavy reliance on fuel imports is highlighted in the latest report by the World Energy Council.

Makis Constantinides, who was appointed chairman of Cyprus Airways in August 2014, said he submitted his resignation to Finance Minister Harris Georgiades citing frustration over the lack of progress in the restructuring of the loss making airline.

A new centralised data base has been launched, cleaning, filtering, and mapping 145,000 real estate transactions across Cyprus and breaking them down by municipality, property type, and by price band.

Egypt’s petroleum minister said recently his country was speeding up talks with Cyprus to import natural gas for its own domestic use and for possible re-export to other countries.

E-commerce seems to be picking up in Cyprus, with more businesses saying they are taking online orders, according to the statistical service Cystat.