Citizens Financial, the US bank where RBS still owns a 75per cent stake, has fourth-quarter net income of $197 million (£130m) a rise from$189m in the third quarter.

The Providence, Rhode Island-based company said it had net income of 36 cents per share. Underlying earnings, adjusted for restructuring costs, were 39 cents per share.

The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 35 cents per share.

RBS sold off 25 per cent of the bank in the September flotation which saw Citizens valued at $3billion (£1.98bn).

Citizens Financial Group shares have fallen by nearly 5 percent since the beginning of the year.