RTE Business

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde warned today that "coercive trade policies" risked harming supply chains and the global economy, and called for a de-escalation of a tariff standoff that has wiped billions off markets.

British finance minister Rachel Reeves will divide up more than £2 trillion of public spending today in a speech she hopes will foster a sense of national renewal and make clear the year-old UK government's political priorities.

Australia's Qantas Airways will close its Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia, the group said today, blaming rising supplier costs, high airport fees and strong regional competition.

Zara owner Inditex missed expectations for first-quarter sales and the start of summer trading today, heightening doubts over the fast-fashion retailer's ability to deliver strong sales growth in an uncertain economic environment.

Japan's Nintendo said today it had sold more than 3.5 million Switch 2 units in the first four days after its launch, making the console the company's fastest-selling gaming device to date.

Employers in Ireland are implementing 'quiet redundancies' to scale back workforces in the face of uncertainty, tariffs and AI

Over €90 million in counterfeit food and drink products were seized across the European Union last year, according to the EU's Intellectual Property Office.

Tánaiste Simon Harris has urged the EU's trade commissioner to exempt sectors key to the Irish economy, such as aviation, medical, agrifood and the equine industry, from any retaliatory tariffs the EU could impose on a range of US products should the current trade negotiations fail.

There has been a significant drop-off in the number of people buying health insurance, according to new figures from the Health Insurance Authority.

Child-related benefits have lifted over 150,000 children out of poverty, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute.

A group of pro-Palestinian activists are seeking a judicial review against a decision by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) not to proceed with a complaint filed against AirBnB in August 2023.

A British-based wholesaler of household goods has topped the latest Tax Defaulters' List, with a total bill of more than €1.11m.

The World Bank has slashed its global growth forecast for 2025 by 0.4 percentage point to 2.3%, saying that higher tariffs and heightened uncertainty posed a "significant headwind" for nearly all economies

Griffdon Engineering, a family-run electrical engineering company, is to create 48 new jobs at its headquarters in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon

Strong growth in online sales and a rise in demand for vaccination services contributed to the Irish arm of pharmacy giant, Boots enjoying record revenues of €580.76m last year

An unregistered business operating in a shed building, where the other half of the shed was a car workshop, was among the reasons for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's (FSAI) latest enforcement action.

The amount of electricity used by data centres increased by 10% between 2023 and 2024, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office

A pool of 13,000 retired civil servants, as well as ministers, are to have their pension deductions checked for incorrect payments, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers has confirmed.

The former Waterford Crystal manufacturing site is to be transformed to form part of the country's first co-located university enterprise quarter in a €130 million initiative

Coastal cities around the world, including Jakarta, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Shanghai, are sinking - posing catastrophic risks to roads, buildings and key infrastructure.