Irish Stock Exchange hails ‘exceptional’ 2015 result

The Irish Stock Exchange enjoyed a successful 2015 which saw four major flotations and a 30% rise in the Iseq.

More than 5.5m equity trades were carried out on the stock exchange’s (ISE) main securities market and enterprise securities market during the year, a record level of activity.

Life sciences company, Malin Corporation’s €330m IPO was the biggest of the year and one of the largest in its sector ever to take place in Europe.

Other companies to float on the ISE last year included petrol and forecourt retailer, Applegreen, which raised €70m and Hostelworld’s €180m IPO. ISE chief executive, Deirdre Somers heralded 2015 as one of the best for the Irish Stock Exchange.

“2015 was an exceptional year for the ISE. The number of securities listed on our markets rose by 6% and we consolidated our position as the number one provider of listing services to debt and investment fund issuers around the globe.

“Trading levels were up across equity and Irish Government bond markets and the ISE continues to be the dominant pool of trading in Irish shares,” Ms Somers said. Among the 551 new issuers joining the ISE’s debt markets were airlines Alitalia and Iberia; US conglomerate Kraft Heinz; Irish international diagnostics company, Trinity Biotech and insurer FBD.