Electricity demand set to grow 45% between now and 2034
The body which manages the electricity grid says demand is expected to grow by 45% from its 2023 level to 2034 and the peak requirement for power will rise by 24% over the same period. EirGrid says there will be a “challenging outlook” between this year and 2027 until new sources of power come on […]
Asking prices for homes rise by average of 3.7% in first quarter – report
Asking prices for homes nationally rose by an average of 3.7% during the first three months of 2025, according to the latest Daft.ie House Price Report. The study suggests the typical listed price across the country in the first quarter of the year was €346,048, which is 11.6% higher than the same time last year […]
Central Bank announces new consumer protection code
The Central Bank has published a new consumer protection code aimed at modernising the set of rules that businesses must abide by when dealing with consumers. The regulator said the code “reflects the way financial services are provided in a digital world”. It enhances consumer protections in areas such as digitalisation, mortgage switching, fraud and […]
Land, capital and labour issues must be addressed to increase housing output – BPFI
At least half of housing commencements in 2024 were due to uncertainty over the extension of the development levy waiver or water connection charge refund, according to the latest Housing Market Monitor for the fourth quarter of 2024, published today by Banking & Payments Federation Ireland. More than 69,000 new homes commenced in 2024, more […]
Euro zone economy growth accelerates to seven-month high in March, PMI shows
Euro zone business activity grew at its fastest pace in seven months in March, supported by an easing in the long-running manufacturing downturn despite slower growth in services, a survey showed. The improving business climate in the common currency bloc could gain more traction over the coming months as plans for a spending splurge in […]
ECB board member makes case for more interest rate cuts
The case for another European Central Bank interest rate cut is strengthening, ECB board member Piero Cipollone said today, just days after another prominent policy dove made a similar argument. The ECB has cut interest rates six times since last June but provided few signals about its next move after the most recent reduction at […]
Commercial vacancy rate reaches highest level at 14.5%
The national commercial vacancy rate has reached its highest level on record at 14.5%, according to the latest GeoDirectory Commercial Buildings Report. The report, prepared by EY, shows the rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 14.5% in the last quarter of 2024, which is the highest level recorded by GeoDirectory since it began tracking […]
Residential property prices up 8.1% in 12 months to January
Property prices rose by 8.1% in the 12 months to January this year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. The cost of buying a home rose by 7.5% in Dublin and prices outside the capital were up by 8.6%. The median price of a dwelling was €359,999 nationally in January, today’s […]
US Fed holds interest rates steady as expected, as Trump tariff fears buffet markets
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady today, as expected, but US central bank policymakers indicated they still anticipate reducing borrowing costs by half a percentage point by the end of this year in the context of slowing economic growth and, eventually, a downturn in inflation. Taking stock of the Trump administration’s rollout of tariffs, […]
Irish exports to US jump by 81% in January – CSO
There was an 81% surge in Irish exports to the US in January compared with the same month a year earlier, according to the Central Statistics Office. Total medical and pharmaceutical products sold abroad grew by 68%, today’s CSO figures show. There have been anecdotal indications that some companies could be stockpiling goods in the […]
NTMA to raise €1 billion in bond auction this week
The National Treasury Management Agency will seek to raise €1 billion in nine and 12-year debt in its first bond auction of the year on Thursday, the National Treasury Management Agency said. Ireland has a relatively limited borrowing requirement this year due to its large cash balances and forecast budget surplus. It plans to issue […]
Central Bank reduces forecast for economic growth due to rising uncertainty
The Central Bank has reduced its forecast for economic growth for this year due to rising uncertainty caused by the trade war between the US and EU. It says the domestic economy will grow by 2.7% which is 0.5% lower than its last projection. The bank also said fewer homes will be built over the […]
Euro zone banks must get into habit of tapping ECB for cash, ECB argues
Euro zone banks need to get into the habit of tapping the European Central Banks for cash, preparing for the continued decline in excess liquidity in the banking system, two top ECB officials said in a blog post today. Banks still sit on almost €3 trillion of excess liquidity, created by the ECB over the […]
Minister to travel to US for negotiations on tariffs
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said he will lead a “full trade mission to the United States” next month. It comes after US President Donald Trump increased tariffs on certain EU goods and threatened further action. Mr Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on wine, cognac and other alcohol imports from Europe, after […]
Safe-haven gold rises above $3,000 for the first time
Gold pierced through the psychological milestone of $3,000 an ounce today for the first time, building on an historic rally as trade tensions and US rate cut bets supercharge its appeal as a safe store of value. Spot gold was up 0.3% at $2,997.75 an ounce in mid-morning trade after hitting a record high of […]
Overall card spend in February up 10% on last year
The latest AIB Spend Trend report shows that Storm Éowyn led to an exceptionally quiet day for spending on Friday 24 January. AIB said the number of in-store transactions was down 38% compared with an average day. But after the storm, spending in hardware stores was up 8% in February, with significant increases seen in […]
AI expected to add €250 billion to Ireland’s economy by 2035 – report
A new report by Microsoft and Trinity College Dublin is projecting that the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) could add €250 billion to Ireland’s economy, as measured by GDP, within 10 years. The AI Economy in Ireland 2025 report found that AI adoption is expected to increase Ireland’s Gross National Income (GNI) by at least […]
Annual inflation eases to 1.8% in February – CSO
New figures from the Central Statistics Office shows that inflation eased to an annual rate of 1.8% in February from a rate of 1.9% in January. Today’s figures show that prices in restaurants and hotels rose by 3.1% mainly due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants and cafes, […]