| CCCTB - a wolf in sheep’s clothing? |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Brian Daly questions the stated benefits of European Commission plans to introduce one consolidated EU tax base and urges business leaders to increase their awareness of the real impact of the proposals and assist in the counter-lobby. |
| |
| Companies need to join forces in lobbying campaign |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| As EU Commissioner Laszlo Kovacs continues to generate more heat behind his campaign to introduce a common basis for corporate taxation in Europe, the Irish financial services industry is being called upon to act together against his efforts. |
| |
| Counter-offers only a ‘quick fix’ |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Counter-offers rarely convince Irish employees to remain at a company, according to a recent survey by Robert Walters. In fact, 57 per cent would immediately reject one. |
| |
| Cowen sets out Government’s perspective on financial sector |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| |
| |
| Credit crisis impact on private equity to hit M&A |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Merger and acquisition activity is likely to be hit in 2008 because of the drying up of private equity deals, due to tightening lending criteria. The credit crisis is expected to impact upon private equity firms’ ability to raise capital to finance deals, paving the way for deals by trade buyers to retake main stage. The deal aims to make more efficient use of the bank’s capital. |
| |
| Credit risk and the pricing of mortgage products |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| The economic climate has resulted in lenders offering more and more competition to borrowers looking for a mortgage. As the European Central Bank (ECB) has successively raised interest rates, so consumers have begun to see the advantages of switching mortgages. Professor John Cotter argues that, as the economic outlook changes, the key is getting the right price both for the lender to be profitable based on their risk assessment involved and also represent a competitive and attractive price for borrowers. |
| |
| D-Day has arrived - MiFID in practice |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| From November 1st, Irish companies have had to comply with the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). For investment firms, the Directive signals significant changes in how they can sell their products, with passporting across the European Union now possible, write Peter Fahy and Patrick Collins. |
| |
| De-mystifying 130/30 funds |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| The funds industry has wholeheartedly adopted the so called 130/30 funds industry that has been in the US for the last five years. However, despite the ability to ‘short’ a certain portion of stocks, these funds have offered European investors modest returns to date. Are they really as beneficial as has been claimed? |
| |
| Distributable profits - how much do we have? |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| At this time of year, many companies are busy making their final projections of profit for the year, and what will be in the pool of reserves for distribution to their shareholders says Brendan Sheridan. In group situations, companies will also need to focus on what amounts they need to be distributed from their subsidiaries before the year end in order to have sufficient reserves to meet dividend expectations. |
| |
| Editorial |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Comments from the editor |
| |
| Funding a bank in a liquidity crisis |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Ulster Bank’s funding strategy had a buoyant start to the year, as the bank completed the largest securitisation of residential mortgages ever undertaken by an Irish bank. However, while the bank continues to attract significant amounts of liquidity, the credit crisis during the summer has meant that the cost of that liquidity has increased, writes Donal Corbett, who expects that the liquidity crunch will continue for a number of months. |
| |
| Growth triggers hiring at KPMG and Deloitte |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Two of the ‘Big 4’ accountancy firms, Deloitte and KPMG, are set to go on a recruitment offensive as they look to hire people at all levels across the country on FINANCEjobs.ie. The accounting industry is continuing to grow at breakneck speed as the big firms hire new staff in an effort to keep up with increasing demand from Irish businesses. |
| |
| Investment in venture capital up 224p.c. in Q3 |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| Young innovative firms in Ireland attracted €29.77 million in venture capital in Q3 2007, according to the Quarterly European Venture Capital Report by Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne. |
| |
| Labour supply short of skills |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| The supply of skilled professionals is still failing to meet demand in Ireland’s financial services industry. Top of the pile is a lack of skilled regulatory and compliance professionals. You can see the number of vacancies in any of these sectors on FinanceJobs.ie. |
| |
| Market wobbles cause turbulence in investment sector but Asian opportunities exist |
Issue: 11 / 2007 |
| The investment environment has been one of the most turbulent sectors in the light of the credit and liquidity crisis. Jennifer Richards notes the steady decline of the dollar, to trading at $1.44 against the euro on October 31st. She goes on to point out the benefits of investing in two of the world’s emerging powers, India and China. |
| |
