Archive for August, 2008

Inequities are killing people on a “grand scale” reports WHO’s Commission

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

The gap in health between rich and poor in Ireland, the UK and around the world is “unfair, unjust and avoidable”, a WHO - - World Health Organisation - - report said Thursday, focusing on government’s poor record on inequality.

Eurozone Business Climate Indicator continued to decline in August; Economic Sentiment Indicator in EU fell to lowest level since December 1993

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

The European Commission said today that after a fall below its long-term average in July, the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the Eurozone decreased again in August. The low level of the indicator suggests that industrial activity remains subdued. The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) fell in both the Eurozone and ...

US consumer spending fell in real terms in July; Stocks slide

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

US consumer spending fell in real terms in July, signalling that the economy will weaken with the end of government stimulus payments, while a key inflation measure rose. In New York, stocks dropped in response to the news.

Central Bank says annual growth rate of Irish residential mortgages dropped to 9.6% in July - the lowest since December 1987

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

The Central Bank said today that the annual growth rate of Irish residential mortgages, inclusive of securitised residential mortgages, dropped to 9.6 per cent in July. The last time the annual rate of increase in residential mortgages was in single figures was at ; December 1987.

Eurozone unemployment stable at 7.3%; EU27 stable at 6.8%; Highest annual increases in Spain: 8.2% to 11.0% and Ireland 4.6% to 5.9%; Lowest rate in Denmark at 2.3%

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

The Eurozone (EA15) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.3% in July 2008, unchanged compared with June. It was 7.4% in July 2007. The EU27 unemployment rate was 6.8% in July 2008, unchanged compared with June. It was 7.1% in July 2007.

European Central Bank reports fall in growth of M3 money/credit measure in July signalling easing of inflationary pressures

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

The European Central Bank reported today that the annual rate of growth of M3 - a broad measure of money and credit in the Eurozone economy - fell to 9.3% in July 2008, from 9.5% in June 2008. The three-month average of the annual growth rates of M3 over the ...

Poverty:

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

The world is poorer than we thought, the World Bank discoversIN APRIL 2007 the World Bank announced that 986m people worldwide suffered from extreme poverty—the first time its count had dropped below 1 billion. On August 26th it had grim news to report. According to two of its leading researchers, ...

Qualceram Shires reports pre-tax loss of €3.4m in H1 2008: Revenues plunged 28% on impact of UK and Irish housing contractions

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

Qualceram Shires, the Irish bathroom products maker, today reported has a pre-tax loss of €3.4m in the first half of 2008, compared with a profits of €2.1m a year, resulting from the impact of the housing contractions in the UK and Ireland.

IFG reports flat pre-tax profits of €9.9m in H1 2008

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

IFG, the financial services group, today reported flat pre-tax profits of €9.9m for the first half of 2008, despite a slight decline in revenue to €58m.

Markets News Afternoon: Stocks rally in Europe and US after surprise rise in US GDP; Oil falls to $115 in New York

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

Markets news on stocks, currencies and oil.