News

European Union finance ministers added Panama, the Seychelles, the Cayman Islands and Palau to the EU’s blacklist of tax havens. But Turkey got more time to avoid listing despite shortfalls, an EU document showed today.  The list, which was set up in 2017 after revelations of widespread tax evasion and avoidance schemes, now includes 12 […]

Accountancy firm EY has revised upwards its economic forecast for this year. EY’s latest Economic Eye report said it expects to see GDP growth of 3.4% for 2020. That is expected to moderate to 2.8% in 2021 and 2.7% in 2022. Professor Neil Gibson, Chief Economist for EY Ireland, said they revised the forecast following […]

The number of people in employment rose by 3.5% in the year to December, according to the latest figures in the Labour Force Survey from the Central Statistics Office. The Labour Force Survey is the official source of data for employment and unemployment in Ireland. A total of 2,361,200 people were in employment at the […]

Sterling was slightly weaker today, though it maintained some gains above $1.30, after having its best week in two months as investors priced in looser financial conditions under Britain’s new finance minister.  Rishi Sunak was appointed on Thursday when incumbent Sajid Javid unexpectedly quit as Prime Minister Boris Johnson reshuffled his cabinet.  Boris Johnson wants […]

Ratings agency Moody’s has reaffirmed Ireland’s credit-rating, but has highlighted a range of possible risks to the health of the Irish economy. The organisation said it was keeping the Government of Ireland’s long-term issuer rating at A2. The ratings on the country’s senior unsecured bond, progamme and commercial paper ratings have also been left unchanged. […]

Oil prices rose today and were on track for their first weekly gain since early January as investors bet the economic impact of the coronavirus would be short-lived and hoped for further Chinese central bank stimulus to tackle any slowdown.  Brent crude was up 57 cents or 1% at $56.91 a barrel this morning It […]

The country’s export levels reached record levels last year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.  More than €152.5 billion worth of goods were exported last year, an increase of 8.5% on 2018 and the highest total on record.  The CSO noted that the largest category of exports was medical and pharmaceutical […]