New figures today show that take-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 3.4% over the four weeks to March 23 compared to the same time last year. Kantar said this marks the slowest market growth rate since November 2022, despite St Patrick’s Day celebrations and Pancake Tuesday falling during the period under review. Kantar also…
Construction activity rose in March – the first increase in total activity in three months – amid stronger new order growth, the latest Purchasing Managers Index from AIB shows. The AIB Ireland Construction Total Activity Index moved back above the 50 no-change mark in March to reach 53.9, up from 48.7 in February, marking the…
The threat of a trade war will influence how the housing market will perform this year, according to a new report by property website MyHome.ie, in association with Bank of Ireland. The report says the Irish property market has a “disproportionate reliance” on high income earners working in multinational sector, which leaves it vulnerable to…
The total European Union response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could amount to duties on US goods worth €400 billion, RTÉ News understands. This would represent retaliation for the US tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium, last Wednesday’s “reciprocal” tariffs of 20% on most EU exports, and the 25% tariffs on European car…
European markets plunged this morning as investors grappled with the possibility of a recession after sweeping tariffs announced by US last week. US President Donald Trump showed no sign of backing away from the tariff plans despite retaliation from China, pushing investors to price in interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank and the…
Oil prices slid more than 3% today, extending last week’s losses, as escalating trade tensions between the US and China stoked fears of a recession that would reduce demand for crude. Brent futures declined $1.41, or 2.15%, to $64.17 a barrel in early trade, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost $1.35, or 2.18%,…
Tax receipts in the first three months of the year were up 8.9% on the same time last year. Figures from the Department of Finance show the tax take stood at €21.9 billion at the end of March. This is excluding a payment of €1.7bn which was part of a settlement made by Apple. The…
Vacant properties and above-the-shop units could provide an answer to the housing crisis, according to the Hardware Association of Ireland. It estimates that there are at least 20,000 vacant units of this type ready for transformation. The association is the representative body for Irish hardware and DIY retailers, builders’ merchants, distributers and manufacturers. It represents…
Countries around the world have threatened to wage a trade war with the United States as President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs fed expectations for a global downturn and sharp price hikes for swathes of goods in the world’s biggest consumer market. The penalties announced by Mr Trump on Wednesday triggered a plunge in world financial…
The Government’s “working assumption” is that there will be further US tariffs focused on pharmaceuticals, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said. The sector received an exemption from a sweeping 20% tax on EU goods announced by President Donald Trump yesterday. The US President made the announcement in a much-anticipated address from the White House in what he…