A round-up of today's other news stories in brief:

New insurers key to better client deals

Consumers will get better deals on insurance if more insurance companies enter the market and the regulation of insurance brokers is reviewed, according to the Professional Insurance Brokers Association (Piba).

Piba chief executive Diarmuid Kelly said the market was fraught with over-regulation, which was favouring large insurance companies to the detriment of independent brokers and consumers.

Mr Kelly was responding to the recommendations of the third interim report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on reforms to the insurance market.

He said current rules governing certain financial products required consumers to sign 10 different pieces of paper, despite research indicating that a financial literacy problem exists at all income levels.

Mr Kelly said the entry of more insurers was essential to reducing insurance premiums.

"Premiums have not reduced at a sufficiently fast pace and this is largely due to the small number of players in the general insurance market."

Equity returns in 2006 to slow down

Global equity returns in 2006 will lag behind the double-digit returns of 2005, according to Mercer Investment Consulting's annual forecast.

According to the survey of investment managers from 157 firms worldwide, global equity markets will achieve an average return of 7.6 per cent in dollar terms. Emerging markets in particular will not deliver anything like the dramatic returns of 2005.

Tom Geraghty, head of Mercer Investment Consulting in Ireland, cautioned that the views of the global investment managers were based on best estimates.

"How the various asset classes and regions actually perform in 2006 may be very different. In a world of uncertainty, pension plan trustees and other investors would be well advised to follow an age old investment truism and in formulating investment strategies - diversification is king."

Fund opened to sole investors

AIB Investment Managers has opened its Multimanager managed fund to individual investors.

Previously the fund, which has a current value of over €174 million, was only available to pension fund investors. Since its launch in December 2003, the fund has returned over 37 per cent after fees and expenses.

AIB Investment Managers selects and monitors the investment companies that are responsible for the management of the fund. Among the "best in class" global investment managers chosen for the programme are Schroders, Invesco, Legg Mason and Merrill Lynch.

The fund will be offered to investors by AIB Private Banking as part of its specialist fund range.

James Leen, head of product management at AIB Investment Managers, said the use of a range of investment expertise in the fund was important for controlling investment risk.

EBS tips good year for property

Mortgage lender EBS Building Society has predicted that 2006 will be a good year for property investors.

"Demand for rental properties will continue to be strong as migration levels remain high and a large portion of Ireland's population remains under the age of 30 and are yet to buy their own properties," said Dara Deering, head of mortgages at EBS.

Ms Deering said income from rental properties had increased by 4 per cent over the last year and still offered a safe investment option.

"Our research shows that two out of three people who already hold an investment property will increase their portfolio over the next five years," she said.