Uncategorized

The number of new electric cars sold in the first five months of the year dropped by 20% compared with the same time last year, new data shows. The figures from the Central Statistics Office show that 9,458 new EVs were licensed between January and May, down from 11,918 during the same period in 2023.…

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady yesterday and pushed out the start of rate cuts to perhaps as late as December as policymakers sketched out their view of an economy that remains virtually unchanged across its major dimensions for years to come. With growth and unemployment lodged at levels better than the US central…

Oil prices fell in early trade today, as investors digested that the US Federal Reserve had likely pushed back a possible interest rate cut to December, while ample US crude and fuel stocks also weighed on the market. Brent crude futures lost 23 cents, or 0.3%, to $82.37 a barrel, as of 0415 GMT, and…

Government plans to increase Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) to fund the State pension will lead to a slight increase in poverty rates, particularly the child poverty rate, as those in the most affected age cohort are also those most likely to have dependent children. New research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)…

US consumer inflation ticked lower last month, according to US government data, giving the US Federal Reserve positive news shortly before it publishes its latest interest rate decision. The annual consumer price index (CPI) came in at 3.3% in May, down 0.1 percentage point from April, the Labor Department said in a statement. The monthly…

Irish mortgage rates dropped slightly in April, new data from the Central Bank of Ireland shows. The average interest rate on a new mortgage was 4.24%, down 0.07 percentage points compared to March. This meant Ireland had the seventh highest rates in the Eurozone, an improvement of one place on the previous month. The Eurozone…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the seasonally adjusted Live Register total fell by 0.3% to 173,200 people in May when compared to the previous month. The CSO said the unadjusted Live Register total stood at 168,406 people, down 4.6% from the same month last year. Of the 168,406 people on the…

Oil prices traded lower today, as investors waited for key US and China CPI data as well as the outcome of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting to glean a clearer picture of where inflation is heading and how that will affect fuel demand. Brent crude futures fell 13 cents, or 0.16%, to $81.50 per barrel…

Ireland’s approach to the enforcement of building regulations requires a cultural shift, according to the new President of the Society of Chartered Surveyors. Kevin Hollingsworth called for a new proactive approach by local authorities, which he said must be backed by exchequer funding. Currently, local authorities are required to only inspect between 12 and 15%…

The euro fell sharply today, hit by political uncertainty after gains by the far-right in voting for the European Parliament on Sunday prompted a bruised French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap national election. The uncertainty in France adds one more element to what will be a busy week for markets with crucial US…