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Countries around the world have threatened to wage a trade war with the United States as President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs fed expectations for a global downturn and sharp price hikes for swathes of goods in the world’s biggest consumer market. The penalties announced by Mr Trump on Wednesday triggered a plunge in world financial…

Vacant properties and above-the-shop units could provide an answer to the housing crisis, according to the Hardware Association of Ireland. It estimates that there are at least 20,000 vacant units of this type ready for transformation. The association is the representative body for Irish hardware and DIY retailers, builders’ merchants, distributers and manufacturers. It represents…

The Government’s “working assumption” is that there will be further US tariffs focused on pharmaceuticals, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said. The sector received an exemption from a sweeping 20% tax on EU goods announced by President Donald Trump yesterday. The US President made the announcement in a much-anticipated address from the White House in what he…

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that US President Trump’s universal tariffs are a major blow to the world economy, which she said will suffer massively. Mr Trump unveiled a 10% minimum tariff on most goods imported to the United States – with a higher 20% rate for the European Union –…

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned “all options are on the table” in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs threats, saying while the EU does not want an economic conflict it has the “power to push back”. Speaking at the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, France, in a debate where…

The country’s services sector expanded at its fastest pace this year in March, driven by a sharp increase in new business and employment, according to a survey released today. The AIB Ireland Services Business Activity Index rose to 55.3 in March from 53.2 in February, indicating strong growth, AIB reported. A reading above 50 signals…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4% in March from a record low of 3.9% a month earlier. The jobless rate in February had matched the previous record low recorded between October 2000 and April 2001 in the early days of the ‘Celtic Tiger’ boom. The…

The number of personal injuries claims submitted to the Injuries Resolution Board last year rose by 1% to 20,318 when compared with 2023 – but still remain well below pre-pandemic levels. According to the board’s personal injuries and awards report for 2024, the volume of claims is down by 35% on what was seen in…

The price of gold has been rising on global markets to near record highs. This time last year, gold prices on international markets were trading at below $2,000 (€1,848) per troy ounce. Now they are above $3,000 and predicted to rise further. Gold is often seen as a safer investment when there are political and…

Most low-income households had to make high-risk changes to their finances to cope with the cost of living crisis, according to the latest ESRI research. Typical changes included entering arrears, taking on more debt, or eating into savings. The research, conducted by the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit, said such decision are linked to damaging long-term…