ISEQ companies running €7.6bn pension deficits

Companies on the Irish Stock Exchange who operate defined-benefit pensions schemes are running deficits totalling €7.6bn, according to the consulting firm Mercer.

The company says the total pension accounting deficit for Irish-based ISEQ-quoted companies has seen a decline in funded status, the ratio of assets to liabilities, from 90% in December 2007 to 61% at the same time last year.