Author: splash

€200 electricity credit to appear on bills from next month

Measures to give electricity users a €200 credit on their bills has been signed into law and it is expected that people will start receiving the discount from next month. The €200 credit, designed to soften the blow of rising energy costs, will be listed on people’s bills as a €176.22 credit line – but […]

Continue Reading

Oil spikes to 2008 highs as US, Europe mull Russian oil import ban

Oil prices soared more than 9% today, touching their highest since 2008, as the US and European allies mull a Russian oil import ban and delays in the potential return of Iranian crude to global markets fuelled tight supply fears. Brent crude futures jumped $12.61, or 10.6%, to $130.72 a barrel early this morning. US […]

Continue Reading

Is the banking system really ready for the ‘big switch’?

This week was a busy one in the Irish banking landscape as AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB all reported annual results for 2021. There were many angles arising – from a return to profits, to the resumption of dividends, and progress on the purchase of new assets, to the reduction of the State’s […]

Continue Reading

Price shock from Russian invasion reverberates around world

Since the end of last summer, inflation has rebounded across our own economy as well as the rest of the euro area, the UK and the US. But this week, as the war in Ukraine became more brutal and the impact of sanctions against Russia rippled out, it became clearer that what we’ve experienced up […]

Continue Reading

Why are there not more women workers in Ireland?

One of the surprises of the recession caused by the pandemic is that, unlike the financial crisis over a decade ago, this time round there has not been significant permanent destruction of jobs nor a semipermanent rise in unemployment. Quite the contrary: many economies, including Ireland, are experiencing shortages of workers in some sectors, as […]

Continue Reading

Nothing off the table over further EU sanctions against Russia – McGuinness

The European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union, has said nothing is off the table when it comes to potential further action by the European Union on sanctions against Russia. Mairead McGuinness said everything the EU does will be about attacking Russia’s war machine by “pulling away money” but while also […]

Continue Reading

Commercial vacancy rate hits highest level in 9 years

The commercial vacancy rate across the country reached 13.9% in the final quarter of last year, the highest level recorded by GeoDirectory in nine years of reporting. There were 29,317 commercial units vacant across the country, according to the report which was prepared by EY. The data reveals that commercial vacancies increased in 15 out […]

Continue Reading

Growth in service sector picks up as restrictions lift

Growth in the country’s service sector picked up strongly in February, as the recovery from the pandemic gained momentum following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. The AIB Services PMI rose sharply to 61.8 from 56.2 in January and 55.4 in December. Readings above 50 indicate overall rises in activity. The latest reading signalled the fastest […]

Continue Reading

Euro zone inflation soars to new high of 5.8%

Euro zone inflation soared to another record high last month, intensifying a policy dilemma for the European Central Bank, which must convey a sense of calm amid war-related market turmoil but also respond to mounting price pressures. Inflation in the 19 countries sharing the euro accelerated to 5.8% from 5.1% in January, beating expectations for […]

Continue Reading

Oil spikes to 7-year high as markets avoid Russian supply

Oil prices surged to seven-year highs today as supply disruption fears mounted following hefty sanctions on Russian banks amid the intensifying Ukraine conflict,. Traders are scrambling to seek alternative oil sources in an already tight market. Brent crude futures gained $5.30, or 5%, to $110.23 a barrel in early trade, a level last seen in […]

Continue Reading