The most dangerous financial strategies are given the dullest names. Take liability-driven investment – an obscure leverage strategy that just helped to bring down Liz Truss.
Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have criticised Sinn Fein members issuing legal threats in relation to alleged defamation. The solution is obvious: change the libel regime.
Our nearest neighbour has no idea of where it stands in the world, or what its own political economy should look like. The nation, as manifested by its policymakers, is confused, divided, and increasingly alienated.
Introducing draconian personal exposures for senior financial executives through the incoming SEAR regime is not likely to enhance Ireland’s attractiveness against competitor domiciles like Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Belgium.
The current economic model means we will continue to be a warehouse for other people’s intellectual property, instead of becoming an engine for generating our own. That is not a sustainable model of social progress. Offshore wind is a second developmental chance.
Breakthroughs in the AI industry illustrate that private companies are the best vehicle for doing hard things.
There is a real economic and political case to be made for promiscuity. If we can at least keep our population levels stable, never mind increasing, we will have a strong strategic advantage over nearly every other developed nation.
Jeremy Hunt’s financial stability mantra will likely result in the BoE having to do fewer rate hikes rather than more – and the irony of this is that sterling will probably suffer modestly as a result, simply on the basis of lower rate hike expectations.
The tribal indulgence of Brexit is progressively impoverishing those who voted for it. Maybe they’re surprised; maybe they’re not. But before we succumb to a comparable indulgence, we should beware the dramatic shift in our Overton window and ponder their fate.
The leaders of large corporates are confident that Ireland can avoid a global recession, but this does not mean smaller companies are equipped to deal with ongoing turmoil. Ideas are emerging to provide them with stability – the next step is action.
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