Dutch bank ING posts strong Q1 profit

Leading Dutch bank ING on Thursday posted a sharp rise in first quarter net profit, boosted by a growth in lending and as the sale of its US-based insurance unit was finalised. The bank recorded a profit of 1.77 billion euros ($2.0 billion), a sharp reversal from the 1.92 billion euro loss over the same period last year, ING said in a statement. Last year's loss was attributed to ING's ongoing restructuring, as it sought to repay a 10 billion euro loan from the Dutch state issued at th