Business News

The European Central Bank is set to leave interest rates unchanged today as inflation remains in line with its target, but a fraught trade and political outlook means it will keep alive the prospect of further easing. The ECB halved its key rate to 2% in the year to June but has been on hold…

Two in five small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reported growth during the second quarter of the year, the highest level in over two years. The latest ‘All-Island Business Monitor’ shows more than half of SMEs remain stable, with contraction described as rare, as only 7% reported decline. The study shows that SME sentiment across the…

The Government is to publish a new Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity today aimed at increasing Ireland’s international competitiveness and resilience. The initiative is designed to boost innovation, investment and productivity in key areas of the economy, in light of the evolving geopolitical and international trade environment. The 124-page plan, which covers six key…

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has warned that the Government must change course in the upcoming Budget and move away from one-off cost of living measures. Mr Donohoe predicts that the ending of one-off payments, which he concedes will be difficult, will deliver a major change in current spending next year. He was speaking after…

Electric Ireland is to decrease gas prices for 140,000 customers by 4% from the beginning of November, while there will be no increase for the company’s 1.1 million electricity customers ahead of the winter. The announcement from the country’s biggest energy supplier will be welcomed by consumers, who had been bracing for further price rises…

Irish construction activity continued to fall last month, according to AIB’s latest Construction Purchasing Managers Index. The headline seasonally adjusted figure fell to 45.9 in August, down from 47.1 in July, as firms signalled a renewed reduction in new business activity. It is the fourth successive month where the Construction Total Activity Index was below…

Madrone Partners-backed StubHub is targeting a valuation of up to $9.2 billion in its US initial public offering, the ticket reseller said, becoming the latest company to resume listing plans delayed in April due to tariff uncertainty. The New York-based firm is seeking up to $851m by offering 34 million shares priced between $22 and…

Ireland’s fiscal watchdog has warned that the Government is planning to spend too much money in next month’s Budget. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) said that a “more restrained approach would help avoid overheating the economy and leave room to respond to future downturns”. The organisation said a total spending increase of €9.4 billion…

Becoming mortgage free is a huge achievement, but it also comes with new responsibilities – including deciding where to keep your house deeds. These important documents prove your legal ownership, and with some solicitors no longer offering storage services, homeowners are often left to figure out the next steps on their own. We’ve been taking…

The Small Firms Association (SFA) has called on the Government to introduce measures in the Budget to tackle the cost of doing business such as high labour costs. The SFA has also renewed its call to for the introduction of a temporary PRSI rebate when Budget 2026 is announced next month. The measure is among…