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Half of Irish shoppers are overspending, shopping more frequently or buying what they don’t need – just to qualify for supermarket money-off vouchers. That’s according to a new study by Coyne Research, commissioned on behalf of Aldi Ireland. It found that consumers spent on average €9 extra, with three in ten claiming the additional spend…

Australia’s central bank has today raised interest rates for a fourth month in a row, but tempered guidance on further hikes as it forecast faster inflation but also a slowdown in the economy. Wrapping up its August policy meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted its cash rate by 50 basis points to 1.85%.…

The Government is to make changes to the employment permits system amid growing demand for workers from outside the European Economic Area. A new law will be published in the autumn, which is designed to make the permits system more flexible and better able to respond to evolving labour market needs. A seasonal employment permit…

There were also major cuts in overall claims costs as a result of a reduction of 18% in the number of personal injuries claims made to PIAB last year. This follows a reduction in 2020 of 16% and an overall drop in claims volumes in the last two years of 31% The decreased volume in…

Bord Gáis Energy saw its adjusted operating profits rise by 74% in the first half of the year, as its parent company Centrica also reported a massive jump in earnings. The Irish utility had an adjusted profit of £33m (€39.5m) in the first six months of 2022, compared to a profit of £19m (€22.7m) in…

The construction of residential buildings picked up quite substantially in the first half of the year, according to GeoDirectory in its latest Residential Buildings Report. 22,390 residential buildings were under construction in June which represents an increase of over 18% on the same time last year. Construction was constrained in the first half of 2021…

A slowdown may already be under way in certain sectors of the domestic economy, according to Ibec. In its latest economic quarterly outlook, the business group says shifts in global capital markets and ongoing increases in commodity prices – especially energy – are undermining the recovery seen in the first half of the year. “Leading…

A report on defective apartments built during the boom years will not recommend a levy on the construction sector to help the State meet the bill for repairs. The independent review, commissioned by Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien last year, says an industry levy would target those who did not cause the defects, would face…

The European Commission is expected next week to ask EU countries to reduce heating and cooling of public buildings and offices to cut demand for gas. This is according to a document seen by AFP. In order to better withstand the drastic fall in Russian gas supplies, which could be cut off altogether, the commission…

The global average cost of a data breach has hit a record high of $4.35 million, an increase of almost 13% over the last two years. The annual ‘Cost of a Data Breach Report’ from IBM Security also reveals that it is often consumers who have to pay the price of cybercrime with 60% of…