Money Ireland

The start of 2012 saw a return to growth of Japanese manufacturing production, although the rate of expansion was modest according to the latest PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) data . New order intakes increased marginally, while staff numbers were unchanged compared to one month earlier. On the price front, input price inflation eased to a [...]

Figures released in response to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin’s Peadar Tóibín to the Minister for Enterprise and Jobs Richard Bruton reveals that IDA Ireland, the State agency responsible for the promotion of FDI (foreign direct investment) paid €548m in grants to foreign companies in the six years to 2011. In 2007, there were [...]

Irish Economy 2012: IBEC, the main Irish business lobby group, today published its first Quarterly Economic Outlook of 2012 [pdf], which says that the challenging economic outlook, both domestically and in the wider eurozone, reinforced the urgent need for the upcoming Government jobs strategy to include ambitious new stimulus measures to support jobs and growth. [...]

Ryanair today announced a fiscal third quarter profit of €15m compared to a Q3 loss of €10m last year. Revenues increased 13% to €844m as traffic fell 2% and average fares rose 17%. Unit costs rose 11% due to a 7% increase in sector lengths and an 18% increase in fuel costs.  Excluding fuel, sector [...]

US real gross domestic product (GDP) increased an annualised 2.8%  in the fourth quarter of 2011 after increasing 1.8%  in the third quarter, according to estimates released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Real GDP increased 1.7%  in 2011 after increasing 3.0%  in 2010. The annual decline in public spending was the biggest since [...]

Markets news on stocks, currencies and commodities: Spain’s jobless rate at end 2111 was 22.85%; Samsung reports record profits; Baltic Dry Index down 27 days in a row.

Innovation and Nanotechnology: Nanomaterials – – materials just one billionth of a metre in size – – are used in an array of products including drug-delivery systems, cosmetics, and food additives. With the nanotechnology sector set to explode in coming years, there is a fear that there is insufficient knowledge on the greater exposure of [...]

Principal news stories from the Irish Times and Irish Examiner.

Finland’s Nokia, struggling to gain a footing in the key smartphone market following its decimation by Apple, on Thursday posted bigger losses for both the full year of 2011 and for the fourth quarter amid slumping handset sales.

Markets news on stocks, commodities and oil; Japan’s struggling giants NEC and  Nintendo expect big losses; NEC to cut 10,000 jobs.

In her opening address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, urged Europe to become “more European” and work together to resolve its problems. In an interview with several European newspapers, she suggested that unused European Union (EU) funds could be used to help SMEs, entrepreneurs and [...]