Tough Brexit talk fuels sharp drop in sterling Sterling fell sharply yesterday as both candidates to become UK prime minister talked up their willingness to execute a hard Brexit during Conservative Party leadership debates. On the eve of the Brexit referendum, it cost 76.5 pence to buy one euro. Now, with a hard Brexit fast

Consumer spending falls in June – even online – as rain and Brexit dampen mood Consumer spending has slowed at a pace not previously recorded in the past five years, according to a new analysis of spending in stores and online. Visa’s Irish Consumer Spending Index, produced by IHS Markit, found on Wednesday that the

Hotels’ costs rising faster than revenues, says report HOTEL insurance rates are rising by 10pc per annum, prompting some operators to rethink how their leisure facilities in particular are used, according to Aiden Murphy, a partner with accountancy and advisory firm Crowe Ireland. He said one of the options for hotel operators is outsourcing the

Car running costs dip but insurance still an issue The average cost of running a family car for a year stands at €10,590, according to the AA’s annual survey of motoring costs – a decrease of €98.11 on last year. The survey also revealed a 7% drop in insurance costs, but the AA said the

EU goods trade gaps with US and China widen The European Union’s trade surplus in goods with the US and its deficit with China both increased in the first five months of 2019, figures that could add extra strain to global tensions. The European Union’s surplus with the US grew to €62.1 billion in the

Revenue intensifies Brexit engagement with businesses Officials from Revenue will be contacting 92,000 businesses around the country as preparations for Brexit continue. Businesses will receive letters and phonecalls from officials outlining the steps necessary to prepare for Britain leaving the European Union. The head of Revenue’s Brexit Policy Unit said while businesses should register for

Fed poised to get in first with rate cut despite market risks The Federal Reserve looks poised to beat the European Central Bank out of the blocks with a rate cut that looks set for its next meeting on July 31. Its chairman, Jerome Powell, will have the chance to push the message home tomorrow

Ireland at full employment as jobless rate unchanged. THE country is at full employment as just 4.5pc of the workforce are out of work. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June was 4.5pc, unchanged on the prior month. However, it was down 1.9pc when compared to a year earlier, according to figures from the Central

Government surplus of €50m in 2018, new CSO figures show The Government surplus stood at €50m in 2018, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show today. This represents 0.01% of GDP and compares to a deficit of €83m in 2017, or 28% of GDP. The CSO said that Government revenues increased by 7.2% to

Disorderly Brexit biggest risk to financial stability – Central Bank A new review from the Central Bank shows that the main risk to the country’s financial stability and the wider economy is a larger than expected macroeconomic shock in a case of a disorderly Brexit. As well as Brexit, the other risks to the financial