Market pulse: Stuart Fitzgerald on the key trends in the Irish SME sector

Rugby has long been transformed from a sport to a business. Now, that business has been shut down, just as it was set to negotiate a suite of global television deals. Given that many clubs and national unions were already strained, can it adapt to a world of social distancing?

What does the recovery look like? We keep on hearing on recoveries based on the alphabet, but what would each mean for the economy? The answer depends on what we do now and what happens to the virus.

Indigenous Irish firms need more than a package of ad-hoc business supports – they require a clear government strategy to help them transition their businesses to a new economy. And if you look internationally, you can see a suite of options that would work in Ireland.

The EU does not do megaphone diplomacy in the way that Trump does, however, it is likely to give Trump implicit support in the coming trade conflict with China. One loser could be Ireland’s pharma industry.

When is a professional firm not carrying out professional work? It may seem like an esoteric question, but it actually has massive implications for how the firm is taxed. A new ruling, however, has set a precedent, and it could have significant consequences for hundreds of accountancy firms around the country.

Venture capital has largely pulled up their drawbridges so they can support their existing portfolio of companies. The risk is that government and its designated development agencies will do the same. But there are four changes the government could make to help early stage firms.

The League of Ireland was struggling before Covid-19, and the pandemic has made a bad situation worse. There are too many clubs, not enough spectators and now there is frustration at proposals to play matches behind closed doors. Could an All-Island league salvage domestic football?

The lessons of Versailles and Bretton Woods, so remarkably encapsulated in the experience and insights of Keynes, can now empower Beijing, Brussels, and Washington to collectively reprise the post-war role of the US.

Ireland is good at championing small business and helping large corporates. But there is a cohort in the middle that are not feeling the love. And if Ireland is to recover – and jobs are to be saved – we need a plan for medium-sized indigenous businesses.

Most are talking about a prolonged lockdown and a massive recession to go with it. So why are stock markets up by around 30 per cent since March? There are six reasons why this rally is here to stay.