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…
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…
The amount of corporation tax collected in the first three months of this year is running €1.35 billion ahead compared to the same time last year. The latest Exchequer Returns from the Department of Finance show the public finances were just over €2 billion in deficit at the end of March, due mainly to the…
The euro zone recovery picked up pace last month but the upturn was uneven across industries and countries, according to a survey which showed price pressures remained elevated in the region. S&P Global’s Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is seen as a good gauge of overall economic health. It climbed to a 10-month high of…
Growth in the country’s service sector slowed in March, according to the latest AIB Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The data shows that the rates of increase in activity and new business moderated. The business activity index stood at 55.7, down from 58.2 in February. Readings above 50 indicate overall growth in activity. The Irish…
Retailers are being urged to apply to a €3.4m Government fund to enhance their online presence. In the latest round of the Online Retail Scheme, funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and administered by Enterprise Ireland, retailers can access up to €25,000 in grant funding to strengthen their ecommerce capabilities. Since 2018,…
Most people do not shop around for bank accounts or financial products like loans, a survey carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute has found. The survey was based on a national sample of almost 3,000 consumers carried out by the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit. It was commissioned by the Department of Finance…
The number of international banks and investment firms operating in Ireland continues to grow, with 17 of the world’s top 20 global banks now located here. That is according to a new report by the Federation of International Banks in Ireland (FIBI) and Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI). FIBI is the representative body for…
Activity in the manufacturing sector weakened in March, as demand dropped, new figures show today. The latest Purchasing Managers Index from AIB shows that new orders and factory production fell. On a more positive note, price and supply pressures eased. The index dropped to 49.7, from 51.3 in February. Readings above 50 indicate overall growth…
New data from property listings website MyHome.ie has found that asking prices for homes fell by 0.3% in the first three months of the year when compared to the previous quarter. The drop marks the third consecutive quarter that advertised prices for homes around the country have fallen. Nationally, though, listed prices are still up…