House sales up in commuter counties
The sale of houses in commuter counties around Dublin increased by at least 5%, according to a study based on analysis of sales recorded in the Property Price Register. Eight Leinster counties recorded increases of at least 5% in the number of sales compared with 2018. The study, which was carried out by property website […]
Oil prices edge down as traders assess China’s oil demand
Oil prices edged down this morning but held recent ranges as traders assessed China’s oil demand following the coronavirus outbreak and awaited a decision by major producers to cut output further to balance markets. Oil is off more than 20% from peaks struck in January after a spreading virus hit demand in the world’s largest […]
Dublin market down over 1% as count resumes
Shares on the Dublin market were lower this morning after Sinn Féin secured the highest percentage of the first preference vote in the weekend election. The ISEQ index was down just over 1.1% in early trade. The banks were weaker with AIB losing 4.9%, while Bank of Ireland dropped 4.8% and Permanent TSB lost 1.7% in […]
China to halve tariffs on $75 billion of US imports
China said it would halve tariffs on $75 billion-worth of US imports as part of its trade truce with Washington and as officials look to calm markets unnerved by the deadly virus outbreak. The State Council Tariff Commission said the reductions would come in a month after China and the US signed a deal to dial […]
Live Register sees another fall in January – CSO
The number of people signing on the Live Register fell in January to the lowest level since the start of 2008, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. The CSO said the Live Register fell by 1,300 in January to bring the seasonally adjusted total to 183,900. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the number […]
Record number of startups are formed here
Almost 23,000 business startups were formed in Ireland last year, according to a report from company intelligence firm CRIF Vision-net. This is up 1.2pc on 2018, and is the highest number of startups over a 12-month period in CRIF’s 29-year history. Startups exceeded company closures by more than 10,400 in 2019. Firms operating in the […]
Consumer sentiment climbs to six-month high
Consumer sentiment hit a six-month high in January, buoyed by the reduced risk of a disorderly British exit from the European Union. But sentiment was still sharply lower in January than it was a year ago. Ireland has remained the European Union’s fastest growing economy during three years of Brexit talks, but consumer confidence faltered […]
US trade deficit falls in 2019 for first time in 6 years
The US trade deficit fell last year to $616.8 billion, the first time the gap has narrowed since 2013 as imports, particularly from China, declined more than exports, according to government data released today. As President Donald Trump’s trade confrontations escalated in 2019, the total trade gap shrunk by nearly $10 billion as exports fell […]
Economy off to strong start in 2020, services PMI shows
The country’s services sector grew at the fastest pace in seven months in January, a new survey today showed. This was the second survey this week to suggest the euro zone’s fastest-growing economy made a strong start to the year. A slowdown in manufacturing activity in Ireland threatened to spread to the services sector as […]
Euro zone factories still struggling but green shoots emerging – PMI
Euro zone factory activity contracted again in January but did so at its shallowest rate since mid-2019, according to a survey which suggested the worst may be over for the bloc’s battered manufacturing industry. IHS Markit’s final manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to a nine-month high of 47.9 in January. This was just above a […]