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Retail hedge funds likely to appear on Irish market in medium-term
Ireland looks likely to follow the lead set by Germany and the UK by offering retail investors the chance to buy into hedge funds for the first time. |
First CMBS deal for Ireland
Real Estate Opportunities Limited (REO), a Treasury Holdings group property investment company, has transacted Ireland’s first commercial mortgage backed securitisation (CMBS) to be entirely secured by Irish real estate assets. |
FINANCE Survey: equity favourites for 2006
The Irish stock market will continue its recent tremendous growth, and is set for double-digit growth in 2006, say Ireland’s leading stockbroking analysts, as voted in the 2005 FINANCE Stockbroking Survey. |
Asset allocation in 2006
This month's editorial looks at asset allocation. |
Insurers turn to securitisation for financing and risk transfer
Europe is witnessing steady growth in the development of securitisation as a tool for financing and risk transfer, within the life insurance industry in Europe. A number of transactions have come to the market in recent years and according to Standard & Poor’s, further growth is expected in the number, type, and sophistication of transactions in the years to come, Fiona Reddan reports. |
ISE welcomes a record number of new members in 2005
A record seven new participants joined the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) as members in 2005. |
New appointments: Hayes takes over at BOI
Tom Hayes has been appointed as chief executive of Bank of Ireland’s corporate banking division. Other notable new appointments include Brendan O’Hora as new retail marketing head at Ulster Bank and Andrew Glover, group treasury manager at Dublin Airport Authority plc, has been appointed president of the Irish Association of Corporate Treasurers (IACT) |
Financial services employees to get the highest salary increases in 2006
Salaries in the financial services sector are projected to grow the most in 2006, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ latest Snapshot Survey on salary trends. |
Insights into the stock market from Ireland’s top analysts
Ireland's leading stockbroking analysts, as voted by over 1,000 fund managers in the most recent FINANCE Stockbroking Survey, give an overview of what the coming year may hold for companies in the sectors they cover, and which companies are the ones to watch in 2006. Their forcasts, which were written in early January, indicate that the tremendous growth experienced in the Irish stock market over the past few years, is set to continue. |
View for 2006
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The 2005 pensions regulations - new rules for occupational pension schemes
The scope of Ireland’s new pension regulations giving effect to the EU Pensions Directive, is far reaching, writes Paula Kelleher, who says that Ireland’s wish to portray itself as an investment friendly location, and its willingness to create a suitable environment to make this happen is demonstrated once again in the new Pension Regulations giving effect to the Directive. In this article, she examines some of the key pension regulations, including the areas of the qualification of pension trustees to act in that capacity, their authorisation to operate cross border schemes, as well as the investment and borrowing regulations which have now been introduced. |
Commission to focus on retail market integration until 2010
The European Commission’s White Paper on Financial Services Policy 2005 – 2010, identifies retail market integration as being the focal point of the Commission’s approach, writes Brian Binchy, which will see the following being discussed - the development of a lead supervisor, the discussion around the 26th Regime, the greater inclusion of consumer organisations in policy preparation and the EU approach at global level to regulatory dialogue. |
Private equity as an asset class for pensions
In 2005 the National Pension Reserve Fund made its first allocation to private equity. Paul Droop examines the options for pension funds who are interested in allocating to this asset class, and says that those prepared to accept the uncertain cashflows will potentially be rewarded with enhanced diversification and a wider source of potential returns, both of which are increasingly important. |
Taxing choices for overseas property investors
Ireland has changed from a country which sends its job seekers abroad to one which sends its capital abroad – often in search of overseas property investments. Irish investors in overseas properties range from those investing in large scale commercial developments, to those buying a second dwelling. The key issue in overseas property investment is not taxation so much as location and price. But a good location and a good price can be ruined by a bad tax surprise, writes Mike Gaffney, in this month's KPMG Tax Monitor. |
Hello 2006
The issues in taxation in 2006 will include EU moves at tax harmonisation by the back door, growing concerns about an expanding black economy, judgements from the European Court of Justice of particular significance to Ireland, and an increasing awareness of the dangers to our prosperity of ill-informed comments in the domestic media; and we may also expect what the late Harold Macmillan referred to as “events” ie the unexpected. |
The principles of Islamic finance
Islamic banks appeared on the world scene as active players over two decades ago. But many of the principles upon which Islamic banking is based, have been commonly accepted all over the world, for centuries rather than decades. |
Co-operative compliance
The Revenue Commissioners have published a document on Co-Operative Compliance and issued it to some large taxpayers. It is copied from a campaign launched by the Australian Revenue. Like the Australian model, the Irish document is a mixture of good sense and potential dangers. |
A Day in the Life: Liam Boggan, head of research for Merrion Stockbrokers
As head of research for Merrion Stockbrokers, Liam Boggan’s day starts very early, as he aims to get the firm’s Morning Note out by 8 o’clock each morning. As a former head of sales with another broker, Boggan prioritises ensuring that the firm’s research output meets the demands of investors, and spends part of his day discussing issues with clients. |
Auditing board issues ‘most significant ever’ bulletin
The Auditing Practices Board (APB) has published its first bulletin of 2006, a report which the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) has described as among the board’s ‘most significant ever’. |
Regulatory compliance: how the UK can help Irish firms overcome skills shortages
The rising tide of regulation is leading to a high demand for compliance officers. However, there is a distinct shortfall of such people, and this is reflected in the plethora of adverts for suitable people in the business press this year, writes John Kelly. As a short-term solution to finding the right compliance person, he suggests that companies consider interim managers. |
