Category Archives: News

Pandemic uncertainty and Brexit deliver October hit to services

Business activity for Ireland’s services sector suffered a second monthly decline in October as uncertainty over the pandemic and Brexit hit expectations, according to the AIB Ireland Services PMI. The “renewed downturn” in activity followed a brief period of growth in July and August after the economy re-opened following the first Covid-19 lockdown. The rate…

Cabinet to discuss establishment of pensions commission

The Cabinet meets this morning with Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys expected to bring a memo proposing the formal establishment of a Commission on Pensions. Under the Coalition’s programme for government, the pension age will be maintained at 66 pending the completion of the Commission’s work – a position confirmed in last month’s Budget speech…

Factory data lifts shares but investors remain wary of US election outcome

Shares recovered globally from one-month lows yesterday as strengthening factory data in China and Europe offset news of new virus lockdowns, while investors prepared for more volatility arising from the US presidential election. A boom in eurozone manufacturing in October helped Europe leave behind a cautious start after the UK became the latest country in…

Covid lockdowns bring recession threat back to Europe

Europe’s economic recovery is being cut short as governments implement new restrictions to fight the coronavirus that risk driving the region toward another recession. The four biggest economies are going into various forms of lockdown, overshadowing data that showed a record surge in third-quarter output. A new slump is on the cards, governments are pumping…