Business and Finance News
Top global city governments for innovation
Today, 54% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66% by 2050 according to the United Nations. The development of creative industries is getting increasing attention from city governments and recent…
Global manufacturing weak; EM net outflows first since 1988
Global manufacturing remained stuck firmly in the slow lane at the end of the third quarter, hindered by slumping demand in many key EM (emerging markets) countries. Meanwhile in more gloomy data Thursday, it was forecast that this year EM net capital …
Euro Area deflation returns in September; Jobless rate flat at 11%
Euro Area annual inflation/ deflation is expected to be -0.1% in September 2015, down from 0.1% in August 2015, according to a flash estimate today from Eurostat, the statistics office of the European Union. Also today it was reported that the Euro Are…
Euro Area manufacturing in third quarter modest; UK subdued
The Euro Area manufacturing sector continued to make steady progress at the end of the third quarter, as production and new business both expanded at modest rates. Cost pressures shifted to the downside, however, with input costs and selling prices fal…
Europe’s universities on top; UCD closes in on Trinity in Ireland
Europe has 345 universities in the world top 800, meaning its institutions comprise more than two-fifths of the expanded Times Higher Education (THE) ranking in the 2015/16 edition. Among the Irish universities, UCD (University College Dublin) has clos…
Irish Government’s timidity on legal services reform
Reform at governance level in Ireland comes at glacial speed if at all. After decades of delay and in the final months of the 31st Dáil Éireann parliamentary term, the current Irish Government hopes to see the enactment of timid legal services reform proposals with further procrastination provided for in the legislation.
Chinese manufacturing dips again in September; Asia weak overall
Chinese manufacturing activity contracted for the second straight month in September, according to an official survey released on Thursday, which suggests that the chances of another interest rate cut by the People’s Bank of China is likely.
Irish manufacturing output slowed to 19-month low in September
While business conditions in the Irish manufacturing sector improved again in September amid marked growth of new business, the rate of expansion in production slowed to a 19-month low. Meanwhile, input prices fell for the first time in seven months amid falling prices for oil-related products and other raw materials — Irish manufacturing prices track movements in the dollar/euro rate as American-owned firm dominate the sector.
Irish income per capita at 2007 peak; Planning permissions at 1970s low
The Economic and Social Research Institute says in its latest economic commentary that Irish income per capita in 2015 is back at its 2007 peak and it calls on the Government to abandon plans for a pre-election giveaway — this time if there is an economic stumble it wants to ensure that it will not be accused of being a cheerleader.
Ireland: Government commits €42bn to capital spending in 2016-21
Ireland: The Government on Tuesday announced a capital spending plan that it called a “new €42bn framework for infrastructure investment in Ireland over the period 2016 to 2021.” It will involve public spending of €27bn and €15bn comprising a public private partnership investment of €500m State-owned sector investment of around €14.5bn.