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Highest weekly earnings in ICT sector – CSO

Average weekly earnings in the economy grew by 3.4% in the year to the end of September, according to the Central Statistics Office.  Average earnings in the private sector grew by 3.9% while earnings in the public sector grew by 1.3%.  The highest average weekly earnings were in the information and communications sector at €1,255.49…

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Revenue warning consumers about hidden costs of online shopping

Revenue is cautioning consumers to be aware of hidden taxes and charges when they’re buying goods online in the run into Christmas and discount days such as Black Friday. They are reminding shoppers that while the cost of goods advertised online can appear attractively low, it may because tax and duty has not been included…

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State fund loses €750k due to ‘human error’

A State fund set up to support jobs in Ireland lost €750,000 on an investment because of a human error which wrongly categorised the money as euro when it should have been in dollars.  When the rate of exchange moved against the State body it lost thousands because it failed to put in place a…

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Dublin businesses face rate hike over funding row

Businesses in Dublin city could be facing a big rate increase if the Government refuses to compromise on a funding row with the city council. The issue centres on the loss of €8.4m because of a change to rate liabilities for Irish Water facilities. Last week councillors refused to pass a number of measures including reduced community funding,…

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Brexit hiatus lifts consumer and business confidence

Progress towards the achievement of a Brexit resolution has lifted consumer confidence this month, new research has found. But the Bank of Ireland Economic Pulse for November also recorded that despite the brighter consumer mood, Brexit uncertainty continues to weigh on businesses’ investment plans. The index, a composite of separate measures of consumer and business…

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Black Friday sees surge in online spending but more people shop in store

Consumers still spend more in store than online on Black Friday, according to research carried out by AIB. Analysing the card usage habits of shoppers on Black Friday 2018, the spending data revealed that 69% of consumers shopping on the day procured their goods in store with the remaining 31% shopping online. However, the data points…

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US Fed members unanimously reject negative rates – minutes

US central bankers last month dismissed the idea of taking interest rates into negative territory, something President Donald Trump has called for many times, according to meeting minutes released last night.  Evidence for the benefits of negative interest rates – lenders must pay borrowers rather than the other way around – has proven “mixed” in…

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New lending rules for credit unions from January

The Central Bank has said it will allow credit unions undertake increased longer term lending, including home mortgage and business lending. From January next year, new regulations will remove the existing lending maturity limits for credit unions which cap the percentage of their lending for periods of greater than five and ten years.  These maturity…

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Christmas still ‘make or break’ for many retailers

The average retailer still relies on the six weeks around Christmas for up to 30% of its annual trade, according to the Ibec group, Retail Ireland. The sector has benefitted from rising wages and an increase in disposable income across the economy in recent years. However, footfall on the streets of towns and cities across…

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European car sales up 8.6% in Oct, driven by VW rebound – ACEA

Passenger car registrations in Europe rose 8.6% in October, to their highest level since 2009, driven by robust demand in Germany and France. The figures were also boosted by a rebound in demand for Volkswagen cars, which posted a 29% gain. Registrations rose to 1.214 million cars in the countries of the European Union and…

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