Posts by splash
Average weekly earnings up 5.6% in second quarter – CSO
Preliminary figures from the Central Statistics Office show that average weekly earnings for the second quarter of 2024 reached €963.17, an increase of 5.6% or €51.43 compared with the same time last year. The CSO said that average weekly earnings rose across all 13 sectors in the year to the second quarter, with the largest…
Read MoreDomestic electricity bills to rise by up to €100 a year to cover network charges
Household electricity bills could be set to rise by up to €8.42 a month over the coming year. The increase is the result of the energy regulator setting network charges for the period. The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said network charges are needed to enable ongoing investment to take place in the…
Read MoreFirst time buyers continue to drive mortgage approvals
Just over 5,300 mortgages were approved in July, the latest figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show. First time buyers continue to drive the bulk of the activity, accounting for almost two thirds – 61.9% – of all approvals in the month. Just under a quarter of approvals were granted to those looking to…
Read MoreThe Strategic Role of Debt in Fueling Business Growth
In the world of business, debt is often viewed with a sense of caution, even trepidation. However, when managed strategically, debt can be a powerful tool for fuelling business growth. Far from being a burden, the right kind of debt can provide the capital necessary to expand operations, invest in innovation, and ultimately, achieve long-term…
Read MoreDarkening global outlook, central banks’ pivots signal more turbulence
Growing signs of lacklustre growth and risks emerging to the job market overshadowed a gathering of global policymakers at the US Federal Reserve’s annual Jackson Hole conference, highlighting the changing trajectory of monetary policy as US and European central banks eye cutting interest rates. Even as the focus of US and European central bankers shifts…
Read MoreOver 40% of workers did not use full holiday entitlements last year – survey
More than four out of ten people did not make full use of their full holiday entitlements last year, according to new research on annual leave. The survey undertaken by FRS Recruitment shows that almost one in five people did not take five days of annual leave or more, which in business terms represents a…
Read MoreSome mortgage holders with non-bank lenders to face big rate hikes this year
Thousands of mortgage holders who have their loans with non-bank lenders could be set to be see their mortgage rates leap by as much as 3.5 percentage points later this year. The increase will come when their current low fixed rates come to an end and they are forced to choose from one of the…
Read MoreEmployment rate rises, female participation at record high
The employment rate in Ireland has increased almost 3% to over 74%, while female participation is at a record high. New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that over 2.7 million people over the age of 15 and uder 65 were in employment between April and June. That is 71,000 more than the same…
Read MoreECB has room for gradual rate cuts, Kazaks says
The European Central Bank has room to cut interest rates possibly two more times this year as inflation remains broadly on the declining path policymakers envisaged, ECB policymaker Martins Kazaks said. The ECB cut rates for the first time after a record string of hikes in June and markets expect a second move on 12…
Read MoreThird of firms put money aside to pay cyber ransoms
Almost a third of businesses in Ireland have money put aside to pay for ransoms arising from ransomware attacks, a new survey has found. Half of the firms surveyed admitted their defences had been breached by a ransomware attack in the last year. While more than half said they had fallen victim to social engineering…
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