Exports by Enterprise Ireland clients rose 19% to new record high in 2022
Exports by Enterprise Ireland (EI) backed companies grew by a record 19% last year to €32.1 billion, fuelled in part by the inflationary environment. It was the highest level of year-on-year export growth recorded by EI supported firms. “These are significant exports results and reflect the incredible innovation and ambition of the Irish enterprise sector,” […]
Government can’t rely on ‘volatile’ corporation tax – McGrath
The Government says the right decisions must be made with the budget surplus recorded this year, according to the Minister for Finance. Michael McGrath says the Government cannot rely on excess corporate tax receipts into the future, adding that at the best of times, it is a volatile source of revenue. “There is an acute […]
Euro, dollar status should not be taken for granted – ECB’s Lagarde
The US and the euro zone should not take the international status of their currencies for granted as countries such as China and Russia seek to create their own systems. The dollar’s 80-year-old reign as the world’s reserve currency is being called into question by some commentators. This is in light of China’s rise as […]
Irish jobs market stable despite tech layoffs – Morgan McKinley
The Irish jobs market has remained resilient despite recent layoffs in the technology sector, according to the latest Morgan McKinley Ireland Quarterly Employment Monitor. It shows there was a slight increase in professional job vacancies in Ireland in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter. The number of jobs on offer has […]
Euro zone inflation to slow but ‘considerable uncertainty’ – Lagarde
The high rate of inflation in the euro zone ought to come down over the coming months, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said today. But she warned there was “considerable uncertainty” around the forecast. “We expect euro area inflation to continue to fall,” Lagarde said in a statement at the IMF’s spring meetings in […]
Construction activity continued to fall in March
Construction activity here continued to fall last month, albeit marginally. But the latest Construction Purchasing Managers Index from BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland shows there were some signs of inflation in the sector cooling in March. It also found that growth in new orders, employment and input buying were all sustained. “Order books strengthened progressively […]
Property price increases slow to 5% in February – CSO
The annual rate of residential property price increases slowed nationally to a 22 month low of 5% in February, compared to 6.1% in January. Property prices in both Dublin and the rest of the country fell marginally last month for the second month in a row. According to the Residential Property Price Index from the […]
State to charge 30% on increased value of land rezoned for housing
A new bill could see landowners and developers pay a charge of 30% on the difference in the value of land before and after residential zoning. The Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones bill seeks to clampdown on land speculation, where developers profit off land that is zoned for housing. Within the proposed law, […]
Property price increases slow to 5% in February – CSO
The annual rate of residential property price increases slowed nationally to 5% in February, compared to 6.1% in January, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. This marked a 22 month low and is one-third of the 15% growth rate seen in February last year. On a monthly basis, prices fell 0.4% in February, […]
85% of Ulster Bank and KBC Bank Ireland accounts now closed
New figures from the Central Bank show that a total of 86,298 current and deposit accounts were closed in Ulster Bank and KBC Bank in four weeks to the end of March. The account closures come as the two banks continue their withdrawal from the Irish market. The Central Bank said this marked a reduction […]
Inflation eases to 7.7% in March from 8.5% – CSO
The annual rate of inflation eased to 7.7% in March from 8.5% in February, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office today – the lowest level in 11 months. But core inflation – which excludes energy and food – continued to rise. March of last year marked the start of the dramatic […]
Inbound tourism visits during Q1 still down 16% on pre-pandemic levels
The number of international visitors to Ireland over the first three months of the year remained down 16% compared to the same period in 2019, before the pandemic hit. According to data compiled by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), 1.7m people visited Ireland from overseas between January and the end of March. But the […]
Irish mortgage rates see surprise dip in February
New figures from the Central Bank show that the average interest rate on a new mortgage dipped in February to 2.92% from 2.93% in January. Ireland once again had the third cheapest mortgage rates in the euro zone in February. The euro zone average mortgage rate rose to 3.33%, almost three times the rate it […]
UK’s De La Rue warns FY profit below expectations on dwindling cash demand
Struggling British banknote printer De La Rue warned its fiscal 2023 profit was set to miss market expectations and next year’s outlook was uncertain, as demand for cash hit its lowest in over two decades. This sent its shares to a record low. The company said it was talking to lenders about amending its banking […]
Interest rates likely to fall to pre-pandemic levels – IMF
The International Monetary Fund has said it expects interest rates in major economies to fall back to pre-pandemic levels because of low productivity and ageing populations. In a blog issued ahead of its latest forecast for the global economy, the Fund said increases in borrowing costs were likely to be “temporary” once high inflation is […]
Live register numbers down almost 1% in March – CSO
The seasonally adjusted number of people on the Live Register in March stood at 180,500 – a decrease of almost 1%, or 1,600 from the position in February. According to figures from the Central Statistics Office, the unadjusted total stood at 179,777 for March. Of those, almost 54% were male and just under 70% were […]
ECB may need to increase rates again in May – Lane
The chief economist of the European Central Bank, Philip Lane, has said the bank’s next decision on interest rates in May will be “data-dependent” but another rise could be “appropriate” if certain economic conditions are met. Philip Lane made his remarks in an interview with the Cyprus News Agency, which was published today by the […]
Euro zone consumers more optimistic on inflation – ECB survey
Euro zone consumers cut their inflation expectations in February and also took a more optimistic view on growth and unemployment, a fresh survey by the European Central Bank showed today. Euro zone inflation has started to edge down from record highs around the turn of the year. Further big falls are also likely over the […]