Shares worth €18bn traded on ISEQ

More than €180bn worth of Irish shares have been traded on the Irish Stock Exchange so far this year according to the chief executive of the Irish Stock Exchange, Deirdre Somers.

Ms Somers said that the market was experiencing a period of exceptional volatility and activity: “every market is experiencing significant volatility at present and the Irish market is no different. That’s also reflected in an increased volume of transactions with over 1.4 million individual trades (well over 6,000 a day) so far this.”

While Ms. Somers would not comment on the performance of individual stocks, she did say that she was confident that the fundamentals of the Irish economy remained strong and as a result the outlook for companies quoted on the ISE remained positive.

Ms Somers also highlighted that companies listed on the Exchange had raised over €7bn in the year to date – a significant rise over the same period a year ago.

Ms Somers’ address focused on the challenges and opportunities facing the Exchange in the years ahead.

“The Exchange has proven its ability to compete internationally for business and has carved out a deserved position as a world leader in debt listings and Investment Funds.

"We don’t fear increasing competition and indeed, we’ll look to grow out position in these and other sectors in the years ahead.”

"The presence of a vibrant Exchange has been a key factor in the development of Ireland as a key financial services location.

"I don’t believe anyone disputes that the success of the Exchange has helped ensure the success of the Financial Services Industry in general, led to significant employment and drawn in a diverse range of highly skilled employees in the financial services sector.”