Category: Syndicated

Dramatic rise in online scams during pandemic

Fraudulent emails and text messages tricking people to share personal and banking details increased during the Covid-19 crisis, according to gardaí. They have also issued a warning to ‘staycationers’ who are being targeted by cyber criminals on fake and cloned websites purporting to sell holiday equipment.  The bogus websites advertise caravans, campervans and small pleasure boat sales in a bid to defraud […]

Continue Reading

Irish economy to fall 8.5% in 2020 before 2021 recovery

The European Commission has said that Ireland’s GDP is projected to contract by 8.5% in 2020. The economy here is then expected to grow by 6.25% in 2021, on the back of the pent-up domestic demand release and the global post-crisis recovery.  In its latest economic outlook, the Commission said that economic activity here is expected […]

Continue Reading

Euro zone retail sales in record rebound in May as lockdowns eased

Consumers in the euro zone returned en masse to shops in May as lockdowns were eased, estimates from the EU statistics agency showed today, signalling a sharp recovery of sales after record drops in March and April.  Sales in the 19 countries sharing the euro zone rose by 17.8% in May from April, Eurostat said, […]

Continue Reading

Euro zone set for deeper recession, weaker rebound

The euro zone economy will drop deeper into recession this year and rebound less strongly in 2021 than previously thought, the European Commission forecast today, with France, Italy and Spain struggling the most due to the Covid-19 pandemic.   The EU executive said the 19 nation single currency area would contract by a record 8.7% […]

Continue Reading

NTMA to auction three different bonds this week

The National Treasury Management Agency said today it plans to raise between €1-1.5 billion through the sale of seven, ten and 30-year debt on Thursday.  The NTMA has raised €18.5 billion from bond issuance so far this year from a €20-24 billion funding range. Its target was increased earlier this year to shore up government […]

Continue Reading

62% of credit unions offer payment holidays amid Covid-19 crisis

62% of credit unions have introduced payment holidays as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, a new survey of credit union CEOs and managers across the country shows. The survey also found that the three most in-demand services for credit unions have been the rescheduling of loans, the provision of bespoke services to cocooning members […]

Continue Reading

Numbers on Pandemic Unemployment Payment fall as economy picks up pace

The number of people receiving the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has fallen from 439,000 last week to 412,900. This marks a decline of 26,100 over the last seven days, according to the latest figures from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. However, 63,000 PUP recipients have closed their claims in the last seven days […]

Continue Reading

Irish services sector sees partial recovery in June

There was a partial recovery in the country’s services sector in June, according to AIB in its latest purchasing managers index. The business activity index rose to 39.7 from 23.4 in May, a level consistent with ongoing weak activity in the sector. The index measures activity on a scale of 1 to 100 with the […]

Continue Reading

Central Bank warns economy could shrink by up to 14%

The Central Bank has said the economy could shrink this year by up to 14%, while it has also warned that unemployment could average as high as 17% this year.  In its latest Quarterly Bulletin, the Central Bank also highlighted the risks to the economy of a no-deal Brexit.  The Central Bank has said there is […]

Continue Reading

Number of insolvencies down 12% as Covid-19 impact not fully materialised

There was a reduction in the number of company insolvencies in the first six months of this year, according to new figures from Deloitte. Today’s figures suggests that the impact of Covid-19 has not fully materialised.  Deloittes said there were 273 company insolvencies between January and the end of June, a reduction of 12% on […]

Continue Reading