Category: Syndicated

Ireland and the UK are described as “inescapably intertwined” in the British government’s newly published Brexit plan. The White Paper on Brexit says the “unique relationship” shared by the two countries warrants special recognition in the forthcoming negotiations between the UK and the Europe Union. A detailed section arguing for the retention of “as seamless […]

THE number of home buyers taking out a mortgage has risen to a six-year high. Close to 30,000 people drew down a mortgage last year, new Banking and Payments Federation figures show. In the last three months of last year more than 9,000 mortgages were drawn down. This is the highest number of draw downs […]

Overhead costs for manufacturers rose at the fastest pace in over four years in January, as higher commodity prices, currency moves and price rises at UK suppliers hit the sector. In a sign competitiveness is being hit, some firms hiked prices in response, according to the latest Investec Purchasing Managers Index for the sector in […]

Returns for investors across all sectors of Irish commercial property could slow to a growth rate of between 7pc and 10pc in 2017, down from 12.4pc in 2016 and only about a quarter of the 36pc level seen during the lift-off in recovery seen during 2014. Nevertheless, Ireland looks set for another year of relative […]

Ireland Inc is now actively targeting business, investment and recruitment from the Middle East as a result of the US travel ban on Muslims. US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy is sparking a rethink across the Muslim world. Middle Eastern businesses and wealthy families have traditionally targeted the US for investment and education. But […]

A government plan aimed at mitigating the effects of Brexit places a major focus on women as well as the poaching of “globally renowned” workers from the UK. The ‘Action Plan for Jobs’ also confirms that a “rainy fund” will be launched in two years time when the fallout from Brexit is expected to be […]

A MAJORITY of so-called millennials are positive about the economic outlook for Ireland in the year ahead. A new survey by financial firm Deloitte found that 56pc of Irish people in the 18 to 34 year age group – dubbed millennials – expect the economy to improve over the next 12 months despite widespread geopolitical […]

The head of BNP Paribas Securities Services met Finance Minister Michael Noonan for an hour in December, during which they discussed the implications of Brexit. It is understood, however, that BNP – which already employs around 100 people in Dublin – gave no specific details about its plans to deal with the fallout from the […]

The Irish property market is being hit increasingly hard by Brexit, with estate agents all over the country reporting an average fall-off in demand by one-third from across the water. UK-based buyers – largely returning Irish emigrants who left here in the 1980s or after the recent economic crash – had been making up to […]

There is no evidence that banks are not passing on interest rates cuts, the ECB has claimed in a research paper. The ECB has slashed rates to 0pc in an attempt to stimulate lending, but Irish banks are still charging mortgage borrowers here in excess of 3pc. However the report, which looks at the euro […]