Irish Stock Exchange equities turnover rose 6.3% in 2016

The volume of shares trades on the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) rose by 6.3 per cent last year, as a surge in the number of deals offset a decline in benchmark Iseq index.

Turnover in equities rose to €89 billion as the number of trades executed increased by 17.4 per cent to 6.6 million in a year that was marked by volatility caused by concerns over the health of the Chinese economy, Brexit and Donald Trump’s election as the next president of the United States.

The value of the Iseq fell 4 per cent last year, marking the first decline by the index since Ireland entered an international bailout in 2010.

Meanwhile, the ISE cemented its position as the world’s second main venue for the listing of bonds, after Luxembourg. The number of bond listings increased by more than 7 per cent to over 29,000 debt securities.

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The most high-profile listing was of Saudi Arabia’s $17.5 billion of bonds sold late last year as the kingdom turned to the capital markets for the first time to sell debt to plug a gap in its budget amid volatile oil prices.

As the world’s number-one market for fund listings, more than 1,000 new exchange-traded and investment funds were listed on the exchange last year.

"Our core business performed well in 2016," said ISE chief executive Deirdre Somers.