Lack of digital skills could derail economic recovery – report
The report, from the Digital Marketing Institute, also said that a geographical divide is growing with Dublin-based firms faring better than their country cousins.
And while online spending by Irish consumers is up 54pc year-on-year, over 60pc of this or €3.9bn, is being lost to overseas companies.
According to Ian Dodson, director and co-founder at the Digital Marketing Institute, there is an enormous opportunity for digital skills to drive the …
Irish and European stocks continue to 'tread water'
The benchmark ISEQ Overall Index closed up just 4.84 points, or 0.1pc, at 4,827.36 as gains in bookmaker Paddy Power and insurer FBD offset declines in C&C and Ryanair.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index slipped less than 0.1pc to 342.75 at the close of trading in London, after climbing as much as 0.4pc and falling as much as 0.2pc. The benchmark gauge has rebounded 5.5pc from a four-month low on …
Euro zone business grows in August at weakest pace this year – PMI
Signs of slower growth, coupled with firms cutting prices at an even faster rate, will add to pressure on the European Central Bank ahead of its monetary policy meeting on Thursday.
Markit’s Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index, which is based on surveys of thousands of companies across the region and is seen as a good gauge of growth, fell to an eight-month low of 52.5, well below July’s 53.8.
That final …
€1bn tax surge that lifts hopes of Budget 'giveback'
The startling turnaround in fortunes is down to rising employment, a bounce in spending and improved company profits.
These all helped push the tax take 20pc ahead of target last month.
Mr Noonan collected €440m more than anticipated last month alone – meaning the overall tax take for the year is already €1bn ahead of target.
He was quick to promise Budget cuts “significantly less” than the €2.1bn forecast at …
One third of SMEs expect to hire over coming months
Business and labour costs are among the key issues for bosses who will be forced to let staff go, the Small Firms Association (SFA) said.
SFA director Patricia Callan warned Irish labour costs are still the 11th highest in Europe and 16pc above the EU average.
“In terms of hourly labour costs Ireland is 30.8pc ahead of our nearest competitor, the UK, putting us at a distinct competitive disadvantage,” she …
Irish stocks rise in line with Europe
In Dublin, the ISEQ Overall Index closed up 39.39 points, or 0.8pc, at 4,822.52 points as heavyweights such as Ryanair extended recent gains. The airline closed up 3.2pc at €7.38. Oil company Providence Resources erased some recent losses to close up 9.8pc at €1.80, while Ormonde Mining closed up 6.1pc at 7 cent. Among the losers were Permanent TSB, which plunged 5.4pc to 8 cent. In London, Dublin-based Grafton closed …
Dublin office rents to soar by 30pc this year, says HWBC
Independent property firm HWBC said numbers have already jumped by 15pc so far this year and are well ahead of the 10pc forecast.
In a review it said that the rapid rise will force some tenants to look to the fringes of the city centre and suburban locations to find affordable space.
“We thought 2014 would be strong, but not as strong as this, and that’s why we have upgraded …
Second-home tax disputes 'headed for court'
The new penalties kick in today for people who did not pay arrears of the €200 per year flat-rate tax, which ran from 2009 to 2013, before being replaced by local property tax based on value. A partial amnesty which has frozen the €20 per month penalty since last March ended at midnight and new super penalties, including a 50pc increase, now apply.
But Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames of Galway West …
Insolvencies fall in worst-hit areas of the economy
The number of new businesses being launched is up sharply across all sectors.
There were 983 new companies formed in August – up 8.4pc on the same period last year.
It breaks down as 38 start-ups launched every day last month.
Construction, real estate and finance are seeing a significant increase in the number of new company start-ups.
That’s according to research by Vision-net, a company that provides credit and …
Bank's Christmas bonus for paying your mortgage
The Belgian-owned bank is offering to repay customers the interest they pay on their mortgage in December, up to a maximum of €2,000.
A letter setting out the terms of the offer has been sent to customers by the bank’s mortgage arrears support unit, which works with customers behind on payments.
The cash-back deal is only for customers who have agreed a mortgage-restructuring deal with the bank, and who have …