Latest news with #CiaraRyan
Irish Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
AIB launches digital investment advice tool on its app
AIB has launched a digital investment advice tool on its app for customers who want to invest between €125 and €2,500 per month. The feature, which appears via the AIB life hub on the the bank's mobile app, allows customers to access investment guidance and products. It offers access to regulated investment advice and appropriate products, and offers customers guidance on making investments that are suitable for their risk appetite or needs. Research from the bank found one in five adults are saving more than €125 per month, while one in ten are saving more than €500 per month. Just under two thirds of adults have never invested, citing concern about a lack of knowledge as one of the main barriers. READ MORE Customers who have further requirements or who simply wish to speak to an advisor can continue to do so in local branches or via phone and video call. AIB head of wealth and insurance Ciara Ryan said: 'It's a key priority for AIB to support all of our customers to feel more confident about managing their financial health, in whatever way suits them best. 'It's interesting to see from the research that for those people who have never invested, one of the main barriers is a lack of knowledge. This is why it's important for AIB to embed comprehensive advice and guidance into this new digital investment option.' The AIB life hub launched in 2023 and had over 65,000 logins in 2024. It offers advice, guidance and information to help customers plan for their financial futures. It features calculators to show how investments and pensions can grow, step by step guides, and short articles that answer real-life financial questions on topics such as pensions, life insurance and budgeting.
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
One in five Irish adults manage to save over €125 a month despite rising cost of living
The research shows that one in five adults are in a position to save more than €125 a month. And one in 10 adults are able to save more than €500 a month, according to the survey for AIB. Irish households have €164bn in savings, but most of this money is sitting in low-interest accounts earning little or nothing. In the first quarter of the year, people saved 14pc of their disposable income, according to Central Statistics Office data. The research, conducted by Opinions, found that three-quarters of adults are mostly managing their finances though a mobile phone app. This is particularly the case for those between the ages of 25 and 44. The survey of 1,000 adults found that most people have never invested any spare cash they have, as opposed to putting money in a savings account. They cite a lack of knowledge as one of the main barriers to investing. Most respondents to the survey said that just saving and not investing could be a missed opportunity to grow their money. Among those who have never invested, four in 10 said a step-by-step guide in their banking app would help them to feel more confident. A similar proportion said the ability to invest a small amount of money every month instead of a lump sum would attract them to start investing. For those considering a medium to long-term financial goal, the main motivations for saving include building a financial safety net, renovating their home, supporting their children and saving for a holiday of a lifetime, the survey found. ADVERTISEMENT AIB's head of wealth and insurance Ciara Ryan said: 'If you are saving for something that is five years away, or more, then investment is a good option to consider, as it can deliver higher returns than saving.' The bank has launched its first fully digital investment advice tool for customers via the AIB life hub on the bank's mobile app. The new service allows customers to access investment guidance and products in a way that is convenient for them. The new service will offer access to regulated investment advice and appropriate products while ensuring customers are offered guidance on making investments that are suitable for their risk appetite or needs, according to AIB.
Business Mayor
10-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
More than half of women entrepreneurs feel financially insecure, AIB survey finds
More than half of Irish women entrepreneurs (52 per cent) feel financially insecure, with nearly one third saying their business would not withstand a financial shock, according to new research by AIB. The survey, which took insights from women entrepreneurs and small business owners in Ireland to gauge their levels of financial security, found that more than half of the respondents said they believe their company would have to shut down entirely if they were unable to work for a period. Almost three-quarters of women entrepreneurs said they were focused on business growth and 47 per cent said they were interested in seeking additional funding or investment over the next 12 months. [ Ireland ranks third in Europe for investment in women-led start-ups ] While just 52 per cent of business owners had sought financial advice for their business, 70 per cent had done so for their personal finances. Despite this, more than 90 per cent were open to receiving financial advice in either sector, if it was tailored to their needs. While nearly three-quarters of respondents had a personal pension in place, just 30 per cent said they had established a pension plan through their business and one in five said they had not made any retirement plans at all. Among those who had set up pensions, there was still uncertainty over how much income their pension would provide, at 36 per cent of respondents to the survey , which was carried out in conjunction with AwakenHub and Network Ireland. Read More Markets mixed as geopolitical tensions grow 'These findings show that while female business owners are incredibly driven and focused on growth, many are doing so without a financial safety net,' said Ciara Ryan, head of wealth at AIB. Sinead Crowley, the co-founder of women entrepreneurs network, AwakenHub, said the findings 'illustrate a critical intersection between ambition and vulnerability in female entrepreneurship.' 'The fact that over half of respondents don't feel financially secure is significant,' she said.
