The small Baltic republic of Estonia, with a population of 1.34 million, says it is ready to become the Eurozone’s 17th member country.
Markets news on stocks, currencies and oil; Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said today the central bank is examining the arrangements of Goldman Sachs and other banks have had with Greece to hide public borrowings.
Monthly Irish factory gate prices increased by 1.5% in January 2010. This compares to an increase of 0.4% recorded for January 2009. As a result, the annual percentage change showed a decrease of 2.8% in January 2010, compared with an annual decrease of 3.8% in December 2009, according to the CSO.
Apple today announced that music fans have purchased and downloaded over 10 billion songs from the iTunes Store, the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store. Apple has 70% of digital music market and 25% of total music market.
The takeover battle for the U.S. mall owner heated up as the company unveiled a deal for investor Brookfield to help finance its emergence from bankruptcy.
The number of US workers filing new jobless benefit claims jumped last week to the highest level in over 3 months while durable goods - - items expected to last at least 3 years, - - surged in January, rising twice what was expected due to a 126% rise in aircraft orders.
Markets news on stocks, currencies and commodities.
Eurozone retail sales survey data for February signalled another tough trading month with the seasonally adjusted Eurozone Retail PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) falling further to 44.2, the lowest reading since March 2009 and indicative of the sharpest monthly dip in sales in the interval. The PMI was also below its long-run trend level of 48.9 in February. Any figure greater than 50.0 represents monthly growth of sales.
Eircom today reported profit of €327m before adjustments, for the six months to the end of 2009, down 3% on the same period a year earlier.
Morgan Stanley Chairman John Mack said on Tuesday that investment bankers are overpaid and Wall Street compensation won’t fall much because firms don’t want to lose their best performers.