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US to cut ‘de minimis’ tariff on China shipments to 54% from 120%

The US is to cut the low value “de minimis” tariff on China shipments to 54% from 120%, with a flat fee of $100 to remain, starting from ...

New EVs licensed in April rose by 23% on last year – CSO

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the number of new electric vehicles licensed in April increased by 23% on the same time last year – ...

Geopolitics the top concern for international banks here

Nearly eight in ten international banks in Ireland say global political tensions could hit their business in the next five years. That’s according to a new report by ...

Donohoe to attend Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings this week

The Minister for Finance and President of the Eurogroup Paschal Donohoe is in Brussels this week to chair the Eurogroup meeting today and attend the Economic and Financial ...

ECB should keep steady hand, hold rates close to current levels, Schnabel says

The European Central Bank should stop cutting borrowing costs as turmoil in the global economy is fuelling price pressures and inflation was at risk of exceeding the bank’s ...

Oil prices jump over 3% on US-China tariff reductions

Oil prices rose more than $2 today after the US and China said they would ease some of their tariff measures, lifting market sentiment that the world’s two ...

Annual inflation rate rises to 2.2% in April – CSO

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that annual consumer prices rose to 2.2% in April from 2% a month earlier. The CSO said this marks the ...

China’s exports top forecasts helped by foreign rush to beat tariffs

China’s exports topped forecasts in April, buoyed by demand for materials from overseas manufacturers who rushed out goods to make the most of US President Donald Trump’s 90-day ...

Senior civil servants to highlight concerns over AI

Senior civil servants are to highlight concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in the public service at the annual conference of the Association of Higher Civil and ...

Taoiseach to discuss EU response to US tariffs with von der Leyen

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will meet the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels this morning. His visit coincides with the EU publishing its proposed ...

Faster housing delivery could mitigate impact of tariffs

Faster housing delivery could mitigate the impact of tariffs, according to the latest report from Davy. Updated forecasts from the Department of Finance show that economic growth will ...

Government publishes new AI guidelines for public service

The Government has published new guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public service. The framework advises against the use of free generative AI ...

Tax take to end of April up 15% on same time last year

Tax receipts for the first four months of the year are up 15.3% on the same time last year, the latest Exchequer Returns from the Department of Finance ...

US, Chinese officials to hold trade talks in Switzerland

Senior US and Chinese officials will travel to Switzerland later this week to kickstart stalled trade talks following US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff rollout, according to statements ...

Motor insurance costs rose by 9% in first half of last year

The average cost of a motor insurance policy increased by 9% (€49) during the first half of last year, when compared with the first six months in 2023. ...

Services sector growth slows in April amid trade concerns, PMI shows

Growth in the country’s services sector slowed in April to its lowest level in over a year as international trade tensions weighed on business sentiment, a survey shows ...

Enterprise Minister to urge agencies to cut red tape for SMEs

Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is to meet with the heads of 19 agencies and offices under his remit to instruct them to reflect on their processes and ...

Department of Finance’s economic forecasts to take US tariffs into account

The Department of Finance will publish economic forecasts for Ireland to take account of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in the United States. The document will be ...

China mulls US trade talks offer, warns not to engage in tariff ‘extortion’

Beijing is “evaluating” an offer from Washington to hold talks over US President Donald Trump’s 145% tariffs, China’s Commerce Ministry has said, although it warned the United States ...

New electric car registrations up 25.5% so far this year – SIMI

New figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry show that new car registrations rose by 1.9% in April, while registration of battery electric cars jumped by ...

Small and medium firms investing less post pandemic, ESRI report shows

The scarring effects of the pandemic has resulted in small and medium firms investing less in their businesses, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute. It found ...

Higher food prices push inflation up to 2% in April – CSO

Inflation rose by 2% in the 12 month period to April of this year, driven mainly driven by higher food prices. The latest figures show a marginal increase ...

Euro zone grows quicker than forecast before large trade war hit

The euro zone economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, starting 2025 on a modestly upbeat note before a trade war with the US, a surging ...

Manufacturing growth strongest in April since mid-2022, PMI shows

Growth in the country’s manufacturing sector accelerated in April thanks to a robust expansion in new orders amid signs of stock building due to tariff uncertainty, a survey ...

Early CSO estimates show GDP growth of 3.2% in Q1

Preliminary figures for Gross Domestic Product, a measure of the economy which includes the contribution from multinationals, shows an increase of 3.2% in the first three months of ...

Government confirms delay of pension auto-enrolment

The Government has confirmed that the start date for pension auto-enrolment is to be delayed from 30 September 2025 to 1 January 2026. Minister for Social Protection Dara ...

Low supply among issues driving price of farmland – SCSI

Low supply, increasing demand from dairy farmers and issues around succession were the main factors driving up the price of agricultural land last year, according to a report. ...

Cabinet to consider memo on new Housing Activation Office

A memo to establish a new Strategic Housing Activation Office will go to the Cabinet this morning. However, the anticipated appointment of NAMA boss Brendan McDonagh to head ...

Most Irish consumers trust cards over other payment methods

73% of Irish consumers trust cards over all other payment methods, new data shows. The research carried out by Payments Europe reveals that 55% of consumers believe cards ...

Still gradual margin for rate cuts – ECB’s Villeroy

US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats are creating uncertainty for economies around the world but there is still margin for further interest rate cuts in Europe as inflation ...

Number of uninsured drivers on roads drops

The percentage of uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads has almost halved following the introduction of the new Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) system, which is aimed at ...

EU will ‘leave no stone unturned’ to reduce trade uncertainty – Donohoe

The European Union will do all it can to engage with the United States on trade and reduce the massive uncertainty that is weighing down the global economy, ...

IMF-World Bank meetings end with little tariff clarity, but economic foreboding

Global finance leaders came to Washington last week seeking clarity on what it would take to get some relief from President Donald Trump’s multi-layered tariff assault and on ...

China considers exempting some goods from US tariffs

China is considering exempting some US imports from its 125% tariffs and is asking businesses to identify goods that could be eligible in the biggest sign yet that ...

Home completions up 2% in first quarter of 2025 – CSO

There was a 2% increase in the number of completions in the first three months of this year in comparison to the same time last year, according to ...

Consumers expect weaker economy over next five years

Consumers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland expect a weaker economy, less favourable job prospects, and higher inflation over the next five years, a new survey ...

Govt missed 2024 target on new build social homes

The Government missed its target on new build social homes last year, with a shortfall of more than 1,400. Minister for Housing James Browne said he expects each ...

IMF says tariff pressures to push public debt past Covid levels

Economic pressures from steep new US tariffs will push global public debt above pandemic-era levels to nearly 100% of global GDP by the end of the decade as ...

Economic worries could weigh on airline results as European bookings drop

European airlines are set to report first-quarter results in the coming weeks, offering outlooks for the lucrative travel season amidst growing worries that economic uncertainty could slow demand ...

ECB survey sees inflation stabilising at 2%

Euro zone inflation could be a touch higher this year than earlier thought but will then stabilise at the European Central Bank’s 2% target, the bank’s Survey of ...

IMF says tariffs will hit economic growth, and increase risk of banking crisis

The International Monetary Fund has sharply cut its growth forecasts for this year because of the disruption caused by the tariffs on imports introduced by the US. It ...

Wind farms provided 38% of Ireland’s electricity in first quarter

Wind farms provided 38% of the country’s electricity in first three months of 2025, according to a report by Wind Energy Ireland. Kerry wind farms led the way ...

Gold maintains record rally as Trump’s attacks on Fed chief rattle traders

Gold prices soared to a record high, hitting the crucial $3,500 mark today, as concerns over US President Donald Trump’s criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell dampened ...

Rise in electricity costs amid move from fossil fuels, report suggests

Ireland faces the threat of higher electricity prices as it transitions away from fossil fuels to renewables, a new report by the National Economic and Social Council has ...

EU says it will enforce digital rules irrespective of CEO and location

The European Union is determined to enforce its full digital rule book no matter who is in charge of companies such as X, Meta, Apple and Tiktok or ...

Annual euro zone inflation eases 2.2% in March

New figures from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, show that euro area annual inflation fell to 2.2% in March from 2.3% in February. Euro zone ...

Annual house price growth slows to 8% in February – CSO

Residential property prices are up 8% in the 12 months to February 2025, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. It means the cost buying ...

European Central Bank expected to cut interest rates for seventh time in a year

The European Central Bank is widely expected to cut interest rates by one-quarter of a percentage point later today. The development follows the latest inflation figures, for countries ...

Government urged not to overly delay pension auto-enrolment

The Government is being urged not to defer the deadline for auto-enrolment of workers into pension schemes beyond early 2026. The deadline is set to be pushed by ...

Pharmaceutical exports jump by 146% in February – CSO

Preliminary figures from the Central Statistics Office show that exports of medical and pharmaceutical products jumped by €9.2 billion, or 145.7%, to €15.6 billion in February on the ...

Gas use increases in March as weather shifts and wind energy output falls

Overall gas demand in March rose by 13% compared to February, and by 4% compared to the same month last year, new figures from Gas Networks Ireland show ...

Stronger economic growth in ROI compared to NI – study

The Republic of Ireland has higher wages, stronger economic growth and better living standards than Northern Ireland, according to a new study by the Economic and Social Research ...

Oil edges up on potential US tariff exemptions on cars

Oil prices inched higher today, supported by new tariff exemptions floated by US President Donald Trump and a rebound in China crude oil imports in anticipation of tighter ...

Calls for investigation into axed golden visa scheme

A golden visa scheme giving residency in Ireland and access to Europe has generated €500 million since it was axed by the Government two years ago. However the ...

EU should ‘be careful’ in tariff talks with US – Chambers

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has said that the European Union needs “to be careful about what we put on the table” in tariff negotiations with the ...

US exempts smartphones, computers from global tariffs

The US government has granted tariff exclusions for smartphones, computers and other electronics imported largely from China, sparing them from President Donald Trump’s steep 125% reciprocal duties. In ...

Hybrid work critical for workplace wellness, survey finds

New research from Ibec shows that flexible or hybrid working arrangements remain a critical factor for employee workplace wellness. The survey of more than 1,000 people found that ...

Annual inflation rises to 2% in March – CSO

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the country’s inflation rate rose to 2% on an annual basis in March compared to 1.8% a month earlier. ...

Oil prices set to drop for a second week over US-China trade war concerns

Oil prices rose today after settling more than $2 a barrel lower in the previous session, but were set to drop for a second week in a row ...

First time buyers struggling to save a deposit – PTSB research

A new survey of homeowners, renters and prospective buyers reveals a big jump in younger age groups saying they are considering applying for social housing in response to ...

Tariff supports have to be ‘sustainable’ – Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said any supports to help businesses affected by US tariffs needs to be “financially sustainable” in the medium and long-term. He was responding to ...

Stocks tumble again as US hits China with 104% tariffs

European and Asian stocks extended a slide on Wall Street this morning as President Donald Trump pressed ahead with whopping 104% tariffs on Chinese goods, pummelling oil prices ...

Oil falls to lowest since February 2021 as Trump’s tariffs take effect

Oil prices fell for a fifth day to their lowest since February 2021 today on looming demand concerns fuelled by an escalating tariff war between the US and ...

Grocery sales in Ireland increase by 3.4% in March

New figures today show that take-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 3.4% over the four weeks to March 23 compared to the same time last year. Kantar ...

Construction activity rises amid stronger new order growth – AIB PMI

Construction activity rose in March – the first increase in total activity in three months – amid stronger new order growth, the latest Purchasing Managers Index from AIB ...

Trade war threat to impact housing market this year – report

The threat of a trade war will influence how the housing market will perform this year, according to a new report by property website MyHome.ie, in association with ...

EU response to Trump tariffs could amount to €400bn

The total European Union response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could amount to duties on US goods worth €400 billion, RTÉ News understands. This would represent retaliation ...

World markets dive on trade war gloom

European markets plunged this morning as investors grappled with the possibility of a recession after sweeping tariffs announced by US last week. US President Donald Trump showed no ...

Oil tumbles further as US-China trade tensions fuel recession fears

Oil prices slid more than 3% today, extending last week’s losses, as escalating trade tensions between the US and China stoked fears of a recession that would reduce ...

Tax take to end of March up nearly 9% on same period last year

Tax receipts in the first three months of the year were up 8.9% on the same time last year. Figures from the Department of Finance show the tax ...

Tax waivers, grants could bring vacant properties into use, says group

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 ...

Trump tariffs provoke condemnation as recession fears grow

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 ...

Govt expects US measures on pharma sector, says Tánaiste

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 ...

EU chief says new US tariffs are ‘major blow to world economy’

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 ...

Services sector posts robust growth in March, PMI shows

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 ...

‘All options are on the table’ in US tariffs response – EU chief

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 ...

Unemployment edges up from record low to 4% in March – CSO

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 ...

Small rise in claims submitted to injuries board in 2024

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 ...

Price of gold rises to near record high as US tariffs loom

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 ...

Low earners took on debt to cope with cost of living – ESRI

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 ...

Irish household’s net wealth reaches €1.2 trillion

The net wealth of Irish households has reached €1.2 trillion, of which €812 billion is property wealth The new Goodbody Guide to Inheritance and Estate Planning, published today, ...

Minister to allocate €436m for social housing needs

Minister for Housing James Browne is to allocate €436m for social housing needs this year. This includes capital funding allocations of €325m to be used by local authorities ...

Driver number needed for new car insurance from today

The new legal requirement for motorists to provide their driver number when renewing or taking out motor insurance is in effect. It is now an offence for any ...

Previous earnings to be linked to new jobseeker’s payment

A new jobseeker’s payment that is linked to a person’s previous earnings is due to begin. People who become unemployed, and who have at least five years’ paid ...

Donohoe ‘extremely concerned’ over potential impact of tariffs

The Minister for Finance has said he is “extremely concerned” about the potential impact of proposed United States tariffs on pharmaceutical exports, warning they could deliver a major ...

Average first time buyers and mover purchase values hit record levels – BPFI

New figures from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland show that first time buyer and mover purchase values reached their highest levels on record at €322,050 and €375,495 respectively ...

Average price of second-hand home in Dublin nears €600,000

A new property survey for the first quarter of this year shows that the average price of a resale property in Dublin stands at €593,936, an increase of ...

ESRI says ‘clear need’ for reform of rent controls

The Economic and Social Research Institute has said there is a “clear need” for reform of rent controls. In its Quarterly Economic Commentary, the ESRI said the existing ...

‘Ireland was very smart’ – Trump cites pharma tariffs

US President Donald Trump has said the US will be introducing tariffs on pharmaceuticals, specifically citing Ireland among the countries where many pharmaceutical products are made. Speaking in ...

Deadline for Irish workers to top up UK pension looms

Thousands of Irish people who worked in the UK and paid the equivalent of our social insurance, could be entitled to access a British pension. More than 250,000 ...