Finfacts Ireland Business & Finance Portal

US housing starts and permits fell in February because of severe weather

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:36:15 GMT

US data issued today shows that housing starts and permits to build new homes both fell in February, which has been attributed to severe weather.

German investor confidence was stable in March; Eonomic analysts expect the economy to slowly recover in coming months

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:16:45 GMT

German investor confidence was stable in March, as economic analysts expect the economy to slowly recover in coming months, the ZEW economic research institute said today.

Eurozone annual inflation down to 0.9% in February; EU27 down to 1.4%

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:52:39 GMT

Eurozone annual inflation was 0.9% in February 2010, down from 1.0% in January. A year earlier the rate was 1.2%. Monthly inflation was 0.3% in February 2010. EU27 annual inflation was 1.4% in February 2010, down from 1.7% in January. A year earlier the rate was 1.8%. Monthly inflation was 0.3% in February 2010. These figures come from Eurostat, the EU statistics office.

St. Patrick's Day March 17, 2010 - - tribute to the man who drove some of the snakes from Ireland!; The Spanish origins of the Irish

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:41:50 GMT

St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, one of the most important dates in the Irish calendar has come around again. Patrick reputedly drove the snakes out of Ireland. There's some evidence that his crozier missed a few.

Markets News Tuesday: Shares rise in Europe and Asia; Investors in Japan expect central bank to extend lending support

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:26:34 GMT

Markets news on stocks, currencies and commodities.

European car sales rose in February despite a post-scrappage scheme plunge in Germany

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:58:04 GMT

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA - - Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Áutomobiles ), which represents the interests of the fifteen European car, truck and bus manufacturers at EU level, reported today that new passenger car registrations in the EU (ex- Cyprus and Malta) increased by 3.0% in February, and by 7.9% over the first two months of the year, compared to the same period in 2009 - - despite a sales plunge in Germany following the end of the publicly funded car scrappage scheme.

Lehman ousted whistleblower in 2008 who had raised red flags with Big 4 accounting firm Ernst & Young on $50bn scam; Box-ticking auditors in frame

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:31:08 GMT

Lehman Brothers ousted a whistleblower just weeks after he raised red flags with Big 4 accounting firm Ernst & Young on a $50bn scam in 2008. The issue of the events leading up to the collapse of the bank have focused attention on high-fee auditors who engage in box ticking in compliance of requirements but shut their eyes to what be may be going on under the surface.

Tuesday Newspaper Review - Irish Business News and International Stories - - March 16, 2010

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:14:53 GMT

Principal news stories from the Irish Independent, Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Financial Times and New York Times.

Eurozone finance ministers agree on how support package for Greece would be provided if the need quickly arises

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:19:28 GMT

Eurozone finance ministers agreed on Monday night how a support package for Greece would be provided if the need quickly arises. However, loan guarantees are not part of the deal.

Real price of Amsterdam house only doubled in more than 350 years

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:13:30 GMT

The real price - - on constant currency value basis calculated by stripping out inflation -- of an Amsterdam house has only doubled in more than 350 years according to an IMF research article.

Markets News Afternoon: US industrial production was flat in February; China held $889bn in Treasury securities in January - - Ireland held $$39bn

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:46:29 GMT

Markets news on stocks, currencies and oil.

Moody's says US and the UK are moving closer to losing their AAA credit ratings as the cost of servicing their debt rises

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:33:03 GMT

The US and the UK are moving closer to losing their AAA credit ratings as the cost of servicing their debt rises, according to a Moody’s Investors Service report.

Employment in the Eurozone fell a record 2.7 million in 2009; One in three unemployed persons in the EU27 have been jobless for over a year

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:46:59 GMT

Employment in the Eurozone fell a record 2.7 million in 2009 according to the EU statistics agency, Eurostat. One in three unemployed persons in the EU27 have been jobless for over a year.

Markets News Monday: China calls pressure on currency appreciation "protectionism"; Shares fall in Europe and Asia; Aryzta reports flat half-year profits

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:42:30 GMT

Markets news on stocks, currencies and commodities.

Global economic recovery remains strong in 2010 but the risks are mounting for 2011

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:42:03 GMT

The global economic recovery remains strong in 2010 but the risks are mounting for 2011, according to economists at US investment bank Morgan Stanley.

Eurozone finance ministers meet to discuss Greece; French Economy Minister urges Germany to cut trade surplus and boost demand

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:40:19 GMT

Eurozone finance ministers meet today in Brussels and are expected to reach agreement on support for Greece as it struggles to cut its budget deficit and refinance its public debt. Meanwhile, French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde has urged Germany to cut its trade surplus and expand domestic demand because the competitiveness of other members of the common currency area is threatened.

Monday Newspaper Review - Irish Business News and International Stories - - March 15, 2010

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:41:34 GMT

Principal news stories from the Irish Independent, Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Financial Times and New York Times.

Irish Economy: IBEC says credibility of corrective action must go beyond the public sector finances

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:57:05 GMT

Irish Economy: IBEC, the business representative group today launched its latest Quarterly Economic Trends, which says that the Irish economy is beginning to pull out of a deep recession. IBEC urges trade unions to be cognisant that threats of industrial action gain international notice and could rapidly undermine the confidence gained and undo the credibility that has been established. The credibility of corrective action must go beyond the public sector finances, and for sustainability it must be seen to have gained public acceptance.

Ireland and leadership at a time of crisis

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:53:14 GMT

At a time of crisis, people yearn for credible assurance from political leaders that multi-year dislocation, uncertainty and sacrifice will lead to better times. It could be called an expectation of inspired political leadership but in Ireland, management competence would be a welcome second best.

London and New York lead in Global Financial Centres report followed by Hong Kong and Singapore; Dublin gets ranking of 31 in 75-city sample

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:45:09 GMT

London and New York were tied for first place in the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFC 7) report, published last Friday by the City of London Corporation. They were followed by Hong Kong and Singapore, while Dublin got a ranking of 31 in a 75-city sample.