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Activity in the services sector increased last month as inflationary pressures eased, new data shows. The latest AIB Purchasing Managers’ Index shows that activity expanded at its fastest pace since April 2023. The index rose sharply to 58.3 in November, from 53.8 in October. Readings above 50 indicate overall growth in activity. The data shows…

The number of new mortgages approved in October was up 8.6% on the previous month. In total 4,829 new mortgages got the green light, up 13% compared to the same month last year. The latest Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) data shows almost two thirds of the total were for first time buyers. “In…

It will be possible to hold virtual or hybrid AGMs and other general meetings of companies and societies as a result of the signing of an order commencing new legislation from today. The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Act 2024 will also give more powers to the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA). It will…

Dublin has been ranked in 43rd place in an annual assessment of the quality of living standards of cities globally. This was down one place on last year’s 42nd position. The Mercer 2024 Quality of Living city ranking also placed the capital in 26th position out of 38 western European cities. This was also a…

The European Central Bank should make future monetary policy decisions based on upcoming risk rather than the latest economic data, ECB chief economist Philip Lane told the Financial Times in an interview published today. “Once the disinflation process (is) completed, then I think monetary policy needs to be essentially forward-looking, and to be scanning the…

Euro zone inflation accelerated in November and its most closely watched components remained high, data showed today, adding to the case for a more cautious European Central Bank interest rate cut next month. Consumer price inflation in the 20 countries sharing the euro stood at 2.3% in November, according to the data from Eurostat. That…

The country’s manufacturing sector saw a slight downturn in November, with a survey today showing a contraction in activity as new orders weakened. The latest AIB Ireland Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.9 from 51.5 in October. A PMI reading above 50 indicates growth, while below that level signals a contraction. This marks the third time…

Consumer prices rose by 0.5% in the year to November compared to 0.1% in October – the highest level in three months – a flash estimate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) from the Central Statistics Office shows today. Recent sharp falls had put inflation among the lowest in the euro zone last…

New Central Statistics Office figures published today show that retail sales fell by 0.1% on a monthly basis in October to stand 0.9% higher than a year earlier. The CSO said that excluding car sales, the monthly volume of retail sales was down by 0.2% in October and rose by 0.9% in the year when…

A new research group designed to advance accountability in artificial intelligence (AI) has been launched at Trinity College Dublin. The AI Accountability Lab will examine the broader impacts of AI and hold powerful entities accountable for technological harms. The team behind the lab said that AI technologies have been shown to encode and exacerbate existing…