D Thursday, January 7, 2010 Business 25 Business Bites There was a substantial drop in the Irish mergers, acquisitions and equity capital market in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to data released yesterday. The number of transactions announced decreased by 26.2 per cent on the previous quarter, while completed deal values fell by a dramatic 62.9 per cent to 1.3billion. The data released by Experians Corpfin business also presented a dramatic picture of overall equity and capital market business in 2009, revealing a 76.1 per cent decrease on 2008 figures. Edited by Alan Caulfield news@metroherald.ie Business & Finance DOWNDOWN v$v$ DOWNDOWN vv ISEQISEQ by 16.41 at 3,087.93 $1.435 0.8986 Pat Fenlon and Louise Murphy of ESB Customer Supply, with Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association chief executive Mark Fielding at the launch of Ismes Guide To Wages & Conditions Of Employment For SMEs 2010. The guide, sponsored by ESB Customer Supply, allows small and medium business owners and managers to compare wages and conditions of employment within their sector Picture: Jason Clarke Guide is just the job for employers Unwary firms are target of internet scam By Ciarn Bonass SMALL Irish businesses are being warned to be vigilant as the latest wave of a multi-million-euro international in- ternet scam hits Ireland. One such hoax currently targeting Irish firms has been attributed to a German- based business claiming to offer free listings on an internet directory. However, hidden in the small print is the fact that signing and returning the form will render the business liable to a charge for its entry into the directory and results in the purchase of advertisement space for three years at a potential cost of around 3,000. Cork-based Labour TD Ciarn Lynch was one of those targeted in the scam, after he received the form offering his personal website a free listing within the directory despite categorising the poli- ticians site under Restaurant and Ho- tels on the registry document. The company, based in Germany, is writing to Irish companies with a form and is purporting to be an internet regis- try company when in fact it is no such thing, said Mr Lynch. Buried in the small print of the form is notification that what you are actually signing up to is a commitment to buy an ad on their website, valued at 958, each year for the next three years. Whats more, the company reserves the right to unilaterally raise the price of the ad in subsequent years and, incredi- bly, gives the advertiser no say in how the ad will actually look! The fact that they had categorised my website as that of a restaurant was evi- dence that, whatever this company was, it was not a serious, professionally run business. I will be raising this at EU level and to see what action we can take, Mr Lynch added. Ann Neville, manager of the European Consumer Centre in Dublin, warned that complaints such as Mr Lynchs were commonplace. She insisted the old rule of read it be- fore you sign it applies in this case, as in all others. More now count pennies SOME 82 per cent of Irish consumers are now budgeting for household expenses, according to new research. The National Consumer Agency survey found about 61 per cent are switching between brands to save money, while more than half are socialising in less expensive ways and are holding off on planning holidays until the economy improves. More than half of shoppers (54 per cent) say they are taking advantage of special offers a 15 per cent increase, while seven in ten claim to be aware of the prices of everyday goods such as milk, bread and petrol. However, the study showed a drop in the numbers shopping around from 75 per cent to 67 per cent. Irelands gross external debt fell by 51billion to 1.64trillion by the end of September, while Government foreign borrowing rose 1billion to 73billion from June 2009 levels, and to 22billion compared with September 2008. The liabilities of monetary financial institutions such as credit institutions and money market funds fell 85million to 691billion between June 30 and September 30 2009, with debt down 107billion, compared with the same period in 2008. Monetary Authority liabilities were 56billion during the quarter, falling 48billion, according to Central Statistics Office data. Amazon.com will start selling an international version of its larger- screen e-reader, Kindle DX. The online retailer announced yesterday customers in more than 100 countries can pre-order the latest version of the $489 (339) Kindle DX, which has a 24.6cm (9.7-inch) screen and will wirelessly download books in many places worldwide. The latest Kindle DX will begin shipping on January 19 to countries including Italy, Japan and Spain. In October, Amazon introduced an international version of the Kindle, which has a 15cm screen. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html28.html29.html30.html31.html