Ireland starts to feel bite of US tax reforms

Companies cool on foreign direct investment calls, writes John Whelan.

Executives around the world are cooling to the idea of investing internationally in the face of a rising trade tariff war between the US and China, and renewed US sanctions on Iran and Russia, as well as the EU uncertainty created by the looming prospect of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

In its half-yearly assessment of foreign direct investment, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that foreign investment flows had plummeted by 35% in the first half of this year.