An inkjet ink comprising an IR-absorbing dye. The dye is a metal-cyanine
complex of formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein Q.sup.1, Q.sup.2, Q.sup.3
and Q.sup.4 are the same or different and are independently selected from
a C.sub.3-20 arylene group or a C.sub.3-20 heteroarylene group; M is
selected from Ti(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2), Zr(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2),
V(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2), Si(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2), Ge(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2),
Ga(A.sup.1), Al(A.sup.1), Mn(A.sup.1), Fe(A.sup.1), Sn(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2),
or Pb(A.sup.1)(A.sup.2); and A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 may be the same or
different and are axial ligands of formula (IIIa) ##STR00002## wherein:
C.sup.1 represents a core unit having two or more branching positions;
each P.sup.1 is independently selected from H, a hydrophilic moiety or a
branched moiety; g.sup.1 is an integer from 2 to 8; q.sup.1 is 0 or an
integer from 1 to 6; and each p.sup.1 is independently selected from 0 or
an integer from 1 to 6.
