market folly

Continuing our coverage of hedge fund short positions in Europe, next up is Ireland. European rules are forcing hedge funds to disclose information about the most carefully guarded part of their business activities: short positions. 

Since November 1st when the EU Regulation on short positions came into force, there has been a deluge of information from financial regulators in EU countries about short positions across all market sectors.  

Public disclosure is required for net short positions of shares that reach 0.5% of the issued share capital of the company concerned and again at each 0.1% increment above that.  Additionally, disclosure is required publicly when the position subsequently falls below 0.5%.  

At the end of 2011, Ireland lifted its 3 year ban on short selling of bank stocks which had begun at the heart of the financial crisis in September 2008. Unlike Spain and Italy, Ireland has not resorted to the implementation of short selling bans across all sectors of the stock market. 

Perhaps the most striking feature at the moment is how few short positions there are in the Irish market.  This could possibly be because institutions simply don't have short positions large enough the require disclosure.


Hedge Fund Short Positions in Ireland Revealed

Name of hedge fund / % of company's shares short / Name of company

Farallon Capital:  Short -1.18% Icon

FVP Master Fund: Short -0.55% CRH

BNP Paribas: Short -0.55% CRH


To see more hedge fund shorts, head to our other coverage:

 - Hedge fund short positions in the UK

- Hedge fund short positions in Germany

- Hedge fund short positions in France

- Hedge fund short positions in the Netherlands  

- Hedge fund short positions in Belgium

- Hedge fund short positions in Finland

- Hedge fund short positions in Sweden

- Hedge fund short positions in Denmark 

- Hedge fund short positions in Poland 

- Hedge fund short positions in Italy