A round up of today's other business new in brief

German exports surge nearly 11%

German exports surged at their fastest rate in nearly 18 years in March, surpassing even the most optimistic forecast as Europe’s largest economy shifted up a gear.

Analysts said foreign demand was powering Germany’s recovery and could have pushed first quarter gross domestic product into positive territory.

They cautioned, however, that the euro zone crisis and pressure to consolidate budgets could put the brakes on exports in coming months.

Adjusted for seasonal swings, German exports rose 10.7 per cent month-on- month, the largest jump since July 1992. – (Reuters)

Kentz chief took 8% cut in pay last year

The Kentz chief executive took an 8 per cent pay cut last year to $2.46 million (€1.9 million) from $2.66 million the previous year, the engineering group’s annual report shows.

The report shows that Dr Hugh O’Donnell’s basic pay dropped to $436,000 in 2009 from $453,000 a year earlier, while his performance- related bonus fell to $1.8 million from $2 million.

Chief financial officer Ed Power took a 20 per cent cut to $991,000 from $1.2 million. Kentz paid its two executives $3.4 million last year compared to $4.3 million in 2008.

Woman consents to €2.6m judgment

A Cork woman has consented to judgment for €2.6 million against her arising from loans by ACCBank to her and others. At the Commercial Court yesterday, Mr Justice Peter Kelly was told Eileen Daly, Kinvara, Cork, consented to judgment for €2.6 million arising from two loans advanced in 2005 to her and Gary Hyde, Rathcooney, Co Cork, and from a loan advanced to her and her husband Séamus Daly.