Posts by sean

New data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry indicates a sharp rise in electric vehicle sales at the start of the year, with January recording the highest number of new electric car registrations on record. A total of 7,319 new electric cars were registered during the month, representing an increase of 48.7% compared…

New figures show that wind power continued to play a central role in Ireland’s energy mix during 2025, supplying approximately one third of all electricity generated across the island. The data highlights both the growing scale of renewable generation and the challenges facing the national grid. According to Wind Energy Ireland’s latest annual report, the…

Inflation across the euro area eased in January, signalling the start of a period of softer price pressures that many economists expect to persist well into the year ahead. The latest figures suggest that the European Central Bank is likely to maintain its current interest rate stance for the foreseeable future. Data showed that annual…

Gold and silver prices moved higher today, recovering some ground after suffering their steepest two-day decline in decades. The recent volatility followed the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the US Federal Reserve and an increase in margin requirements by the CME Group, both of which cooled a rally that had pushed…

Growth across Ireland’s manufacturing sector remained relatively subdued last month, according to the latest Purchasing Managers Index published by AIB. While activity continued to expand, the pace of improvement softened compared with December, reflecting weaker gains in both production and new orders. The survey highlighted subdued export demand and caution among clients, driven by ongoing…

A new industry survey suggests a confident outlook for Ireland’s travel sector heading into 2026, underpinned by strong profitability and rising revenues across much of the industry. According to the latest Annual Industry Barometer from the Irish Travel Agents Association, 86% of respondents reported that their business made a profit last year. Nearly half of…

The US dollar strengthened against a broad range of currencies, rebounding from a four-year low reached in the previous session, after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated that the United States continues to favour a strong dollar. Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Bessent said a strong dollar policy is rooted in maintaining sound economic fundamentals. He…

Vhi has confirmed that it will raise the cost of its health insurance policies by an average of 3% from the beginning of March, marking the third price adjustment within a 12-month period. The insurer estimates that the increase will add between €35 and €160 to the annual premium for each adult, depending on the…

The US dollar remained under pressure near its weakest levels in almost four years, following comments from President Donald Trump that were widely interpreted by markets as dismissive of the currency’s recent decline. The remarks fuelled further selling of the dollar and supported gains in the yen, euro and sterling, ahead of a closely watched…

A growing number of consumers believe tipping is shifting away from being a voluntary gesture, according to new research published by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The study found that almost two thirds of people feel tipping has become less voluntary, while three out of four want businesses to make it easier to…