Fergal O’Brien

Oct 11, 2024 | mdpi.com | Dimitrios Skoulas |Muireann Fallon |Fergal O’Brien |Katelyn J. Genoud

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Apr 12, 2024 | stripes.com | Fergal O’Brien

Members of Switzerland’s People’s Party want to enshrine the position of permanent, armed neutrality in the constitution. (Twitter/SVP Schweiz) Switzerland is heading for a popular vote on its long-standing neutrality amid a debate ignited by the country’s decision to sanction Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Jan 16, 2024 | bloomberg.com | Sam Unsted |Charlotte Hughes-Morgan |Fergal O’Brien

Bloomberg Economics’ Dan Hanson expects headline inflation to drop to 3.8%, in line with consensus: “We expect the fall in the headline rate to reflect a broad easing in price pressure, with food, services and core goods inflation all cooling. The movements in the latter two categories mean core inflation should drop to 5% from 5.1% in November.

Jan 15, 2024 | bloomberg.com | Sam Unsted |Charlotte Hughes-Morgan |Fergal O’Brien

According to the ONS data, estimated vacancies fell by 49,000 in October to December from the previous quarter. That’s a record 18th consecutive decrease, with drops registered in 12 of the 18 industry sectors. The largest quarterly declines in vacancies were in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, and transport and storage. That said, as the chart below illustrates, vacancies are still 133,000 above their pre-Covid levels.

Dec 17, 2023 | irishtimes.com | Fergal O’Brien

For many businesses, especially those in retail and the experience economy, Christmas is a crucial trading period. The activities during this time are essential to create a financial cushion that helps manage the natural lull experienced in January by some sectors. This year, however, rising operating costs have forced many businesses to operate within tighter margins.