Business News
Euro zone economic growth slowed as expected in the last three months of 2019 as gross domestic product shrank in France and Italy compared to the previous quarter. But employment growth picked up more than expected, official estimates showed today. The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat said GDP in the euro zone expanded 0.1% quarter-on-quarter […]
Read MoreThe European Commission has today kept its economic forecast for moderate euro zone growth for this year and 2021. But it raised slightly its projection for inflation, noting the spread of the coronavirus was the key downside risk. In an interim outlook for gross domestic product (GDP) growth and consumer inflation for the 19 euro […]
Read MoreThe Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has said that Ireland’s population will age more rapidly than most other countries over the next 40 years. In a survey on the Irish economy published this afternoon, it also warns that future changes to international corporate tax rules could lower the attractiveness of Ireland to […]
Read MoreResidential property prices posted their lowest annual growth in over six years in December, increasing by 0.9% after prices in Dublin fell for a fifth month in a row. This is according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office today. House prices have stabilised over the last year having increased sharply for five […]
Read MoreEuro zone manufacturing output plunged more than expected in December ending a weak quarter for the single currency area, official estimates showed today. Industrial production fell 2.1% month-on-month in the euro zone, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said, in a slump that was worse than the 1.6% fall predicted by economists polled by Reuters. Year-on-year, […]
Read MoreThe Central Bank has said the economy is close to operating at full capacity and that any incoming government should follow a prudent fiscal policy and reduce the level of national debt. In its Quarterly Bulletin, the bank also highlights how exports of Irish goods are becoming increasingly concentrated in pharmaceuticals and computer processors. The economy […]
Read MoreThe number of apartments built last year jumped by almost 60% compared to 2018, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show today. The CSO said a total of 3,644 apartments were built last year, up 59.6% on the figure of 2,283 for 2018. When measured on a quarterly basis, the number of new apartments […]
Read MoreShares on the Dublin market were lower today after Sinn Féin secured the highest percentage of the first preference vote in the weekend election. The ISEQ index closed down 1.2%. The banks were all weaker with AIB end the day 5.4% lower, while Bank of Ireland sank 8.3% and Permanent TSB tumbled 11%. Investors fear a negative impact from Sinn […]
Read MoreActivity in the construction sector grew in January for the second month in a row, but the pace of growth slowed from December, a new survey shows. The latest Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers Index showed a reading of 50.9 in January, above the 50 no-change mark again but down from 52 in December. Ulster […]
Read MoreInvestor morale in the euro zone fell for the first time in four months in February over fears that China will not be able to contain the coronavirus outbreak, a survey showed today. Sentix’s index for the euro zone fell to 5.2 from 7.6 in January. The Reuters consensus forecast was for a fall to […]
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