There was a sharp reduction in construction activity in January as the industry was largely shuttered under the latest Government restrictions introduced to curb the spread of Covid-19. The monthly measure of activity in the sector, carried out by Ulster Bank, captured the sharpest decline in activity since May of last year. It brought to…

The Local Enterprise Office network is holding a webinar for small businesses today on changes to the trade regime since the UK left the EU at the start of January. The webinar will address, among other issues, how businesses can adapt to the new regime and the range of Government supports that are available to…

A full meeting of the Judicial Council will consider draft guidelines which, if adopted, will recalibrate the level of damages that can be awarded to claimants involved in personal injury cases. The new guidance has been drawn up by the council’s Personal Injuries Committee, following a detailed analysis of the issue and was submitted to…

There was a big increase in the number of housing projects completed in the final three months of last year, new Central Statistics Office figures show.  That push brought the number of new dwellings last year close to the number completed in 2019, the CSO said.  The CSO figures published today show that the number…

EU sources have expressed concern over the tone of Michael Gove’s letter to his European Commission counterpart on changes the UK is demanding to the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK cabinet minister has demanded sweeping and swift changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol as the fallout continues from last week’s move by the Commission to…

The Covid-adjusted rate of unemployment rose to 25% in January, up from 19.4% in December, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. Restrictions, including the closure of shops and restaurants and a ban on travel and home visits, were dropped for most of December but reimposed late in the month after a…

Euro zone inflation surged well past expectations last month, driven by rising energy costs and a German tax increase, posing a potential communications challenge for the European Central Bank.  Inflation has undershot the ECB’s nearly 2% target for most of the past decade.  The ECB has promised ultra-easy policy for years to come, with price…

The country’s services sector contracted last month at the sharpest rate since the economy was emerging from an initial Covid-19 lockdown last May after the Government imposed its toughest restrictions in nine months.  Most building sites, shops and the hospitality sector was closed from late December after a four-week reopening led to a huge surge…

The euro zone economy contracted less than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020 amid pandemic-induced lockdowns, initial EU estimates showed today. But the euro zone may be heading for another, probably steeper decline in the first quarter of this year.  The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat said that according to its preliminary flash estimate,…

Household savings continue to rise and debt levels continue to fall, according to the latest figures from the Central Bank.  The Central Bank’s quarterly financial accounts show that gross household savings rose by €570m between July and September to a total of €6.4 billion.   Household net worth, which captures the value of deposits and…