The right diagnosis
Innovation in finance has acquired a collection of negative connotations on foot of the problems of the originate and distribute model of the securitisation industry and the imprudent use of derivatives by some quarters in the market.
Economy health warning - more tax without the necessary steps to curb out-of-control public spending will devastate the country
Tax is a cost of production, and therefore measures to close the Budget gap through tax without the necessary first steps to curb the country’s grossly out-of-control public expenditure levels are really calls for “spend and tax”. So large is the spending gap that measures to solve the problem through tax will sink the economy into a vortex that will destroy all the gains of the past twenty years.
McCreevy: low tax should be an element in Ireland’s economic fix
EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy chose the annual dinner of the Institute of Taxation on February 27th to set out a coherent model for dealing with the crisis, treating tax as just one element in the overall solution.
European regulators must protect market innovation
European markets can expect further regulation. However, we must all be sure that additional regulation does not stymie the flow of capital or market innovation, writes Pierre Francotte.
Takeover Panel widens the net on disclosure rules
Contracts for differences and other derivatives have allowed investors to build positions in firms while requiring only limited disclosure of these positions. David Byers looks at the Takeover Panel’s new rules for the disclosure during takeovers of quoted Irish companies of positions held through derivatives and options.