The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe TD, today launched a €7m fund that will help academics turn research into commercial products and services.
The Economic Sentiment Indicator edged up in both the EU and the Eurozone in July, while the Eurozone Business Climate Indicator also rose.
Irish average national house prices in Ireland fell by 1.7% in Q2 2010 according to the Permanent TSB / ESRI House Price Index Quarterly Review published today. This is the lowest quarterly reduction since the second Quarter of 2008 [April – June inclusive] and compares to a reduction in Quarter 1 this year of 4.8% and a reduction of 3.9% in Quarter 2 of last year [2009]. The fall in average national house prices in the first six months (H1) of this year was 6.4%. The average price is at the 2001 level.
Eurozone retail sales rose at fastest rate in over two years in July as the latest retail PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) data from Markit, signalled that sales rose for the second month running in July. The seasonally adjusted Eurozone Retail PMI - - tracking monthly changes in the value of sales at retailers - - remained above the no-change mark of 50.0, rising from June’s 50.4 (revised up from 49.7) to 52.4. The latest figure signalled the sharpest increase in sales since May 2008 (when sales received a boost from the timing of Easter). It was also the first back-to-back increase in sales since September 2007. However, the upward momentum was weather-related, while retailers remained uncertain in their outlook.
Markets news on stocks, currencies and commodities; The German economy added 32,000 workers in June and employment rose for the fifth consecutive month.
Principal news stories from the Irish Independent, Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Financial Times and New York Times.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced
on Wednesday that international
scheduled traffic statistics for June which showed continued strong demand
growth as the industry recovers from the impact of the global financial crisis.
Compared to June 2009, international passenger demand was up 11.9% while
international scheduled freight traffic showed a 26.5% improvement.
The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book report issued Wednesday, said that US economic activity was modest in June and the first half of July, one of several recent signs that the recovery may be running out of steam.
Rising sea temperatures over 100 years is harming the tiny plant life that forms the base of the oceans’ food chain as well as affecting the diversity of marine life, two new studies have found.
Markets news on stocks, currencies and oil; Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo said today it is reviewing the books of Bank Zachodni WBK and the head of the Polish bank said there had been four meetings with potential buyers discussing the sale of Allied Irish Bank’s stake.