Global central banks set to dump £100bn of sterling in hard Brexit
Central banks holding sterling as part of their foreign exchange (forex) reserves could sell more than £100bn (€109bn) of the currency should Britain crash out of the European Union without a trade deal, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML) study showed yesterday. The prospect of a no-deal Brexit is becoming increasingly feasible in the […]
Chinese bitcoin mining rig makers aim to raise billions in HK IPOs
Three of the world’s largest bitcoin mining equipment makers plan to raise billions of dollars with initial public offerings in Hong Kong, even as other companies report plunging demand for the chips needed to make bitcoin and a halving in the price of the cryptocurrency. Soaring cryptocurrency prices last year triggered a boom in demand […]
Euro tipped to near parity with sterling under hard Brexit
Sterling will fall to 95 pence to the euro and approach parity in the early part of next year if a hard Brexit is still on the cards, according to analysts at Investec Ireland. Currency volatility, and unfavourable rates, are a big risk to Irish exporters into the UK, particularly in lower margin sectors including […]
Pension model doesn’t have to be perfect, but we must act now
The retirement model for Ireland is changing after various false starts – a change that is long overdue. A sustainable retirement system with feasible dependency ratios requires that workers save more and retire later. We won’t get a perfect system overnight, so having one that’s “good enough”, at least to start, is an important priority. […]
Electric scooters are on right path to less congestion in cities
Are electric scooters good or bad for Irish cities? Because they’re certainly getting more common. My walk to work each day takes me through the inner city areas of Ballybough and the North Strand. Both have had their share of trouble in recent years and are regarded as ‘tough’ neighbourhoods. But now I see young […]