Author: splash

Euro zone inflation fell unexpectedly last month, solidifying the case for the European Central Bank to start lowering borrowing costs from record highs. Consumer price growth in the euro zone slowed to 2.4% in March from 2.6% a month earlier, defying expectations for a steady rate as food, energy and industrial goods prices all pulled […]

The service sector grew at its fastest pace in eight months in March, new figures show. The latest AIB Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reveals that the index reached 56.6, up from 54.4 in February. Readings above 50 indicate overall growth in activity. “The acceleration in activity was broad-based and points to improving business conditions throughout […]

The European Central Bank could start cutting interest rates in June as inflation may fall quicker than expected but should not get too far ahead of its US counterpart, as that diminishes the potency of easing, Austrian policymaker Robert Holzmann said. Euro area inflation has tumbled over the past year and economic growth stalled, shifting […]

Annual inflation in Ireland fell below the euro zone-wide target of 2% for the first time in almost three years after slowing to 1.7% in March, a flash estimate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) from the Central Statistics Office shows. Irish inflation peaked at almost 10% year-on-year in the middle of 2022 […]

Several of Ireland’s largest trade union groups have joined forces calling for a major reform of workers’ rights. The Respect at Work campaign says there should be cross party-political support guaranteeing greater protections for employees in the workplace. SIPTU, the Financial Services Union, Mandate Trade Union and the Communication Workers’ Union are all backing the […]

The average price of a used property in Dublin rose 1.9% between January and March compared to the previous three months, new data from DNG shows. That’s more than twice the level of growth recorded in the city in the same month of last year and leaves the average price of a resale property in […]

After decades of discussion and debate, the prospect of workers being automatically added into a private pension scheme took a step closer this week. On Wednesday the Cabinet approved a Bill that is designed to create an auto-enrolment pension system in Ireland. Following the lead of Britain, New Zealand and Italy, amongst others, the scheme […]

The manufacturing sector contracted in March after briefly returning to growth a month earlier, a survey showed today, with confidence among firms also slumping to the lowest level in more than three years. The AIB S&P Global manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell back below the 50 mark denoting growth to 49.6, compared with 52.2 […]

Just €10m has so far been paid out in mortgage interest relief under the Government scheme announced in the budget, despite €125m being allocated for it. 12,107 PAYE taxpayers have made a claim for the assistance, which is designed to help those who struggled with mortgage repayments last year because of rising interest rates. Of […]

Draft legislation designed to set up the new pension auto-enrolment system has been approved by the Cabinet. If enacted, the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill will result in up to 800,000 private sector workers, who currently do not have a pension, becoming automatically enrolled in one. The aim of the plan is to extend […]