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Retailers are predicting an increase in household spending in the run-up to Christmas, despite cost-of-living pressures and the difficult economic backdrop for many. Retail Ireland, the Ibec group representing the sector, is expecting that on average each household in Ireland will spend €1,019 more during December compared to other months of the year. That represents…

Grocery sales are expected to exceed €1.4 billion for the first time ever in December, according to the latest predictions from Kantar. New figures from Kantar today show that take-home grocery sales increased by 7.2% in the four weeks to November 26. Kantar noted that shoppers visited stores more often in November, making an average…

Talks between EU fisheries ministers to finalise quota arrangements for national fishing fleets for 2024 have resumed in Brussels Talks were suspended last night with firm proposals for most stocks but no political sign off. Irish sources report both positive and negative decisions on some of the stocks important to Ireland’s fishers, and also some…

The health insurance regulator has cut the level of stamp duty on all health insurance policies next year. The move should result in around three quarters of consumers paying €18 less for their policies in 2024, provided the saving is passed on to them by their providers, which the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) says they…

Revenue has warned of “potentially serious consequences” for people who do not disclose payments they have received as part of the misuse of the planning appeals system. It said payments which influence the planning process may have tax implications, and people are obliged to include them in the appropriate tax return. The statement follows an…

Construction activity fell in November, new data from BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland has found. The fall in its Construction Total Activity Index is the fifth successive monthly drop. The organisation says respondents blamed a slowdown in the economy, the completion of projects and delays in decision making at clients. Activity slipped in all three…

Christmas shopping is set to peak on 23 December, new data from AIB shows. Its latest spend trend report shows that 2.8 million card transactions were carried out in shops on that date last year. That was up 84% on the average day in 2022. The busiest time for spending in store was between 12-1pm…

Wind provided 37% of Ireland’s electricity in November, new data shows. The latest report from Wind Energy Ireland reveals that November was the third highest month for wind energy generation this year. The report confirms that wind energy has supplied a third of the country’s electricity in the first 11 months of this year. “These…

The last three days of November saw exceptional levels of gas demand, new figures from Gas Networks Ireland show, amid a cold snap which saw a sharp increase in the demand for gas to heat homes and businesses. November 30 and the 28 respectively were the highest two November gas demand days ever recorded with…

Chinese exports rose in November for the first time in seven months, officials said today, as the country navigates a troubled recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the reading compares with a low base from last year when authorities were still wedded to a zero-Covid policy that hammered output and business activity, while a surprise…