Archive for April 2020

Euro zone business activity collapsed last month as attempts to contain the coronavirus pandemic pushed governments to shut down vast swathes of their economies, from shops to factories to restaurants, a survey showed today.  The pandemic has infected more than a million people worldwide, paralysing economies as consumers worried about their health and job security…

Dublin remains in the top five most expensive cities to rent in Europe, according to the latest Accommodation Ranking report by ECA International.  With rental costs up €207 on average per month from last year, it is one of the steepest rental rises in the ranking (6%), making it more expensive than other major European capital cities. …

European shares fell this morning in their first trading session of the quarter, as dismal economic data from Asia underpinned the ongoing damage from the coronavirus pandemic and fanned fears of a deep global recession.  The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 2.4% in opening trade. It ending with its worst quarter in 18 years yesterday…

Factory activity here posted its sharpest ever monthly drop in March as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted supply chains and caused a collapse in demand, a survey showed today.  The AIB IHS Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 45.1 from February’s 51.2, its worst reading since May 2009. The figure was also well below…

The banking industry here has warned consumers to be on the lookout for an expected rise in online fraud and scam attempts that try to take advantage of the circumstances around the Covid-19 crisis. The Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) FraudSMART campaign says people need to be extra vigilant, take their time to do…

The European Commission has given the green light to the Government’s €200m scheme to support firms through the Covid-19 outbreak.  The commission has found the plan to be in line with EU state aid rules under the temporary framework it has put in place to support the European economy through the crisis.  “With this €200m…

Revenue has assured employers that they will not be deemed insolvent if they avail of the government’s Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme.  Concerns had emerged that an unpaid wages declaration would effectively be an admission that employers were trading while insolvent. The key criterion is an employer’s declaration that disruption brought about by the pandemic has…