Archive for October 2025

Analysis: A growing segment of the corporate workforce know their jobs make no real contribution and that what they do each day is meaningless There is an old Soviet joke that conveys the cynicism that helped sink their economy: “they pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work”. In a recent article, Alex McCann…

On Friday, Lidl reduced the prices of its own-brand milk range, claiming to be the first grocery retailer in Ireland to cut the price of the product since 2023. It’s not a major reduction, one litre of Lidl’s milk is now 6c cheaper, with the price of a two litre container coming down by 10c.…

At KAAS we know in an unpredictable business environment, relying solely on past performance is no longer enough. Successful companies look forward, using forecasting to anticipate challenges, seize opportunities, and make smarter financial decisions. Forecasting turns raw data into valuable insight, helping business leaders plan with confidence rather than react in crisis. Why Forecasting Matters…

The European Central Bank believes current interest rate levels are robust enough in “managing shocks”, minutes of its September meeting showed today, fuelling expectations of no further cuts for now. The ECB kept its key rate steady at 2% for a second meeting in a row last month, following several reductions, with inflation having settled…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that consumer price inflation rose to an 18-month high of 2.7% in September, up from 2% the previous month. That marks the highest that inflation has been since March 2024 when the rate of inflation was 2.9%. The CSO said the most significant increases in the 12…

The measures announced in Budget 2026 will result in small income losses next year, according to an analysis from the Economic and Social and Research Institute. In its post-Budget briefing, the ESRI said the losses will average 2% of household disposable income. The organisation said the withdrawal of temporary cost-of-living measures is “responsible for much…

New figures from the Central Bank show that the average interest rate on new Irish mortgages at the end of August was 3.58%, down two basis points from July and down 53 basis points from the same time last year. This compares to the euro area average of 3.36%. At the end of August, Ireland…

Gold raced past $4,000 an ounce for the first time today as investors piled into a historic rally in the safe-haven asset to hedge against global economic and geopolitical uncertainties, while also betting on US interest rate cuts. Spot gold was up 1.3% at $4,034.73 per ounce today, while US gold futures for December delivery…