‘Topics’ – Media Round Up – week ending 3 November 2013
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Welcome to our “Weekly Round Up” – our complimentary summary of this week’s financial news. This publication includes my own commentary and index of links to articles, allowing you to scan over and tune into what’s important to you.
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Dermot.
Commentary
It was another week dominated by the banking sector with the announcement that another Bank, Danaske Bank (formerly NIB), is to discontinue its personal and business banking in Ireland. This follows a similar announcement by ACCbank the previous week. Ulster Bank insists it is to continue in existence in Ireland notwithstanding that a large part of their loans are to be transferred to a ‘bad bank’ within its parent bank, RBS in the UK.
Elsewhere it was a mix of good and bad news in the domestic economy (see below).
Irish Economy
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September retail sales flat on a monthly basis and down year-on-year when motor trade excluded Read more
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Factory gate prices rise by 0.5% in September Read more
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World slowdown hits Irish exports in Q3 Read more
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Live Register records 16th monthly fall in a row. Read more
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Modest increase in consumer sentiment in October. Read more
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Car sales rise in October but down 6.3% in year to date. Read more
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Manufacturing output at two year high in October. Read more
Taxation
- Local Property Tax 2014 – Don’t be caught early. Read more
- No property tax payment needed before Christmas, insists Revenue.Sunday Business Post
- Reminder LPT 2013 must be paid to avoid lncome tax 2012 surcharge even where the return is filed on time by 14 November 2013.
Banking / Credit
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Danske Bank Ireland to exit retail operations here. Read more
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Many Ulster Bank loans to be placed in internal RBS ‘bad bank’. Read more
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Ulster Bank to remain in Irish market: RBS Read more
- Central Bank figures show loans to households down 4.2% in September Read more
Property
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Two-speed housing market evident in CSO figures, as Dublin house prices move up again.Read more
- Dublin office rents and prices bounce back: Sunday Business Post Property
Global Economy
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German unemployment climbs to highest level since June 2011. Read more
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Spain seals exit from two year recession in third quarter. Read more
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Euro zone inflation at four year low, while joblessness remains at record high. Read more
- ECB rate cuts by December as deflation still threatens.Sunday Business Post Money
Stock Markets
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Trading on NASDAQ opened in Ireland for the first time. Read more
- Interest rate speculation keeps euro low.
- Speculation ECB will cut interest rates as soon as its meeting next week.
- Iseq down 0.3%
- Dow Jones & S&P 500 rose for fourth straight week