Kevin McConnell CFA , Martello Capital Group

Kevin McConnell is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a principal with Martello Capital, a private equity group focused on opportunities for international investors in Ireland and the European banking space. Kevin has provided key strategic analysis and advisory oversight to a range of international banking and insurance groups.

TOPIC

This presentation will examine the methodology and the recent results of the "Comprehensive Assessment", the largest ever Stress Test program undertaken in the European Banking sector.

We ask:
a) How has the Stress Test result impacted on the international view of the Irish banking sector and that of Ireland's economic prospects? 
b) In a near-zero interest rate environment and with the beginning of the roll out of Quantitative Easing in Europe, what is the likely impact on Ireland and the rest of the European sector of another major round of Monetary Authority intervention, coupled with the ECB taking control as the single regulator?
c) Does the Stress Test mark the end of any remaining worries about the stability of the European banking sector, and finally break the "sovereign link"?