Posts by sean

One in every five car owners are planning to get rid of their car over the coming years, new research has found. The rising cost of running a car is among the big drivers, the survey discovered, with almost two thirds citing this as an influence on their decision. However, just over three quarters said…

The European Central Bank is increasingly confident that inflation is coming down, but should still hold off on an interest rate cut until June, Slovak Governing Council member Peter Kazimir said today. The ECB held rates unchanged at a record high last week, but its chief Christine Lagarde said discussions over easing policy have begun…

Construction activity continued to contract in February, but at a slower pace than a month earlier, new data shows. The BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland Construction Index climbed to 47.4, up from 45.9 in January. With any score under 50 representing a contraction, that was the weakest rate of decline in five months. Residential construction…

The Chief Executive of Bord na Móna has said the Oweninny Wind Farm, which is set to be Ireland’s largest onshore wind farm, represents a “significant step” towards meeting the country’s renewable energy targets. The Oweninny project is a joint venture between ESB and Bord na Móna representing a total investment of €320m. Wind energy…

Three quarters of Irish consumers feel they are doing as much as they can, within their means, to be sustainable, a new survey from EY has found. The research also discovered that more than half of Irish households think energy providers and Government should take the leading role in the shift to cleaner energy. Just…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the seasonally adjusted Live Register total for February fell by 1.2% to 174,600 people, a decrease of 2,100 from January. The CSO said the unadjusted Live Register total stood at 173,982 people for February. Today’s figures show that 35-44 age group made up the largest number…

China’s exports sharply accelerated in the first two months of 2024, official figures showed today, providing policymakers a bright spot as they battle to revive the world’s second-largest economy. Overseas shipments have long served as a key driver of the country’s economic growth, providing vast amounts of jobs for the manufacturing sector. In January and…

Finance Minister Michael McGrath has today confirmed that NAMA will complete its wind-down by the end of 2025 while the Special Liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) is on track to “substantially” conclude by the end of this year. The National Asset Management Agency was set up in 2009 to clean the property crash…

Enhanced clarity, predictability and accessibility on consumer protection obligations are among the key aims of a new Consumer Protection Code being developed by the Central Bank. As part of the process, the regulator has launched a consultation paper on its plans today. Among the proposals is a requirement for firms to incorporate customers’ interests into…

Grocery price inflation fell for the tenth month in a row in February, new figures show today, with the decline expected to continue during the rest of the year. The latest figures from global retail market analyst Kantar show that grocery price inflation fell to 4.7% in the 12 weeks to February 18 from a…