Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?
Published . Updated .
The State’s relatively low debt has insulated it so far. But political turmoil abroad and a speculative AI boom could still hit the economy hard
Directly affected
- No company is named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- QQQ Invesco QQQ-2.6% 30d
Invesco QQQ: it holds the big tech and AI names. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- AIQ Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF-0.9% 19d
Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF: it holds the big tech and AI names. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- VGK Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF
Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF holds stocks listed in Europe, which this story is about (“ireland”).
- BWX SPDR Bloomberg International Treasury Bond ETF
SPDR Bloomberg International Treasury Bond ETF holds government bonds outside the US, which react to inflation and interest-rate news like this one in Europe
- EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF-2.2% 11d
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF is a broad fund of developed-market stocks that includes Europe
- MSFT Microsoft+4.0% 30d
Microsoft (prepackaged software): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- GOOGL Alphabet-21.2% 30d
Alphabet (computer programming, data processing, etc.): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- AMZN Amazon.com-7.0% 30d
Amazon.com (catalog and mail-order houses): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QQQNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AIQNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VGKNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BWXNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| EFANo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MSFTNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GOOGLNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AMZNNo price data for this ticker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Closing-price change versus T-1, the last close before the story. T0 to T+3 fill in after each market close. Prices: Alpaca IEX.
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Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland? The Irish Times
Source: The Irish Times
Congressional trades in the stocks in this story
- Sen. John Boozman sold Ishares Tr (EFA) (jointly held), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 9 Sep 2026. That is 52 days before publication. Filed 21 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Microsoft (MSFT) (held by a spouse), worth $250,001 - $500,000 on 2 Oct 2026. That is 29 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Lisa McClain bought Microsoft (MSFT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 30 Sep 2026. That is 31 days before publication. Filed 12 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael Rulli sold Microsoft (MSFT), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 28 Sep 2026. That is 33 days before publication. Filed 2 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Alphabet (GOOGL), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 14 Sep 2026. That is 47 days before publication. Filed 18 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna sold Alphabet (GOOGL) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 4 Sep 2026. That is 57 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr sold Alphabet (GOOGL), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 27 Aug 2026. That is 65 days before publication. Filed 12 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Amazon Com (AMZN), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 27 Oct 2026. That is 4 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Amazon Com (AMZN) (held by a spouse), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 2 Oct 2026. That is 29 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael T. McCaul sold Amazon Com (AMZN) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 28 Aug 2026. That is 64 days before publication. Filed 14 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Asml Holding (ASML) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 23 Oct 2026. That is 8 days before publication. Filed 28 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Michael T. McCaul bought Asml Holding (ASML) (held by a spouse), worth $50,001 - $100,000 on 7 Aug 2026. That is 85 days before publication. Filed 14 Oct 2026. View the filing.
Public disclosure filings, not a recommendation. The filing link is the source document. News use of these reports still sits under 5 U.S.C. § 13107(c).
Who gains and who loses around Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK)
Companies tied to this story
- VGK Vanguard Intl Equity Index F
For “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?,” Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF holds stocks listed in Europe, which this story is about (“ireland”)
- BWX Spdr Series Trust
In “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?,” Spdr Series Trust (BWX) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: SPDR Bloomberg International Treasury Bond ETF holds government bonds outside the US, which react to inflation and interest-rate news like this one in Europe
- EFA Ishares Tr
For “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?,” Ishares Tr (EFA) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: iShares MSCI EAFE ETF is a broad fund of developed-market stocks that includes Europe
- ASML Asml Holding
Asml Holding (ASML) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 31 Oct 2026 story “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?.” Reason on file: ASML Holding N.V (special industry machinery) is one of the largest Europe-based companies traded in the US, so news about Europe (“ireland”) reaches its shares
- HSBC Hsbc Holdings
In “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?,” Hsbc Holdings (HSBC) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: HSBC Holdings (savings institution, federally chartered) is one of the largest Europe-based companies traded in the US, so news about Europe (“ireland”) reaches its shares
- SHEL Shell
For “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?,” Shell (SHEL) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence. Reason on file: Shell (crude petroleum and natural gas) is one of the largest Europe-based companies traded in the US, so news about Europe (“ireland”) reaches its shares
- NVS Novartis Ag
Novartis Ag (NVS) is linked, with no stored direction, medium confidence in the 31 Oct 2026 story “Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?.” Reason on file: Novartis AG (pharmaceutical preparations) is one of the largest Europe-based companies traded in the US, so news about Europe (“ireland”) reaches its shares
Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK)
“Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?” (31 Oct 2026) reaches Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK) through this story.
For Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK), the reason on file says Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF holds stocks listed in Europe, which this story is about (“ireland”)
A second company, Spdr Series Trust (BWX), is listed for a different reason: SPDR Bloomberg International Treasury Bond ETF holds government bonds outside the US, which react to inflation and interest-rate news like this one in Europe
The price range for Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK), and the dates in the story
EFA traded between 102.00 and 106.39 across 8 sessions. The latest close on file is 103.46.
What the saved facts support for Vanguard Intl Equity Index F (VGK)
46 out of 100
“Patrick Honohan: Why are interest rates so high – and how exposed is Ireland?” scores 46 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources, and 7 linked companies.