Trends And Developments

Banking and Finance in Ireland Over the Last 12 Months

As 2020 drew to a close, lenders, borrowers and other finance professionals had well and truly adjusted to the "new normal" and remote working lockdown restrictions had very little noticeable impact (in certain sectors, at least) on deal size or volume, which continued at pre-pandemic rates into Q1 and Q2 2021.

Now, as vaccination rates across the world continue to rise and as lockdown restrictions are lifted, it will be interesting to see if there will be a return to "business as usual" or whether the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the market irreversibly

COVID-19

Impact on the economy

There were 169 corporate insolvencies in first half of 2021, a decrease of 38% on the same period last year so, on the face of it, a more positive outlook for the year ahead. These figures likely do not tell the whole picture, with rating agencies forecasting an increase in non-performing loans for the rest of 2021 and