Economics Desk


Economic Briefings

This section includes Austin Hughes’ analysis of topical data especially with regard to interest rates and currency markets, as well as significant Irish economic developments.

For further information contact:
Austin Hughes, Chief Economist, KBC Bank Ireland 01 664 6892

02/05/2013 ECB Cuts And Suggests Further Easing Can’t Be Ruled Out
30/04/2013
Irish Population Outlook
Still Encouraging (And
Unusual By EU Standards)
Irish Population Outlook Still Encouraging (And Unusual By EU Standards)
04/04/2013 ECB Hints At Early Easing
21/03/2013 Encouraging Irish Growth Data Suggest Modest Recovery Is Continuing
07/03/2013 Mr Draghi Keeps His Options Open But Promises To Support Recovery
27/02/2013 Jobs Data Point To Improving Irish Economy
07/02/2013 ECB More Dovish As Ireland Gets Improved 'Deal'
10/01/2013 ECB Notably Less Pessimistic. So, Rate Cut Less Likely.
18/12/2012 Irish Growth Outturn For 2012 Looking Healthier
06/12/2012 ECB Open To More Easing?
05/12/2012 Budget 2013: Pain As Well As Progress
29/11/2012 Employment Data Suggest Irish Jobs Market Stabilising
08/11/2012 ECB Leaves The Door Open To Lower Interest Rates
04/10/2012 Mr Draghi Enjoys A Dull Day
27/09/2012 Small Irish Population Increase Reflects Strongly Conflicting Forces
06/09/2012 ECB Outlines Bond Buying Plan But Seems Some Distance From Action
10/08/2012 Irish Business Momentum Gradually Building
02/08/2012 ECB’s ‘Big Bazooka’ Looks Like A Small Squirt
12/07/2012 Mixed Signals Suggest Irish Economy Still ‘Bottoming Out’
05/07/2012 ECB Cuts Rates To Record Lows But Disappoints Markets
07/06/2012 Irish Jobs Data Point To Continuing Economic Weakness in Early 2012
06/06/2012 ECB Stalls But Rate Cut Coming Closer
03/05/2012 ECB In Two Minds
05/04/2012 Divided ECB To Remain On The Sidelines Until Clearer Picture Emerges
22/03/2012 Growth Data Confirm Irish Economy Is Weak But Stabilising
08/03/2012 ECB Intends to Stay On The Sidelines (And Ease Some Internal Concerns)
07/03/2012 Q4 Data Hint Irish Jobs Market May Be Stabilising
09/02/2012 Near Term ECB Rate Change Unlikely As Focus Remains On Greece And Bank Funding
12/01/2012 ECB Now Watching And Waiting
04/01/2012 Exchequer Data Suggest 2011 Budget Targets Met Despite Weaker Economy
16/12/2011 Third Quarter Data Highlight Ongoing Constraints On Irish Economic Growth
12/12/2011 Irish Jobs Data Weak But Not Entirely Unexpected
08/12/2011 ECB Cuts… and Runs?
06/12/2011 Budget 2012: Progress On A Difficult And Lengthy Adjustment Path
03/11/2011 ECB Cuts Rates And Hints At More To Come
06/10/2011 ECB Supports Liquidity But Stalls On Interest Rates
08/09/2011 Fear Reaches Frankfurt
04/08/2011 ECBs Words And Deeds Highlight Pressures And Problems
03/08/2011 Exchequer Returns Suggest Ireland Still Sticking To Its Programme in Spite of Fragile Domestic Economic Conditions
27/07/2011 Irish House Prices Continue To Tumble
07/07/2011 ECB Raises Rates 'Quietly'
30/06/2011 Ireland's Population Larger and Recent Growth Faster Than Expected
23/06/2011 Irish Economic Growth Not As Weak As Expected
22/06/2011 Irish Property Prices Fall Further In May But Dublin Increase Surprises
16/06/2011 Irish Jobs Market Still Weak But Some Modestly Encouraging Signs Emerging
09/06/2011 ECB Rate Rise Seems Certain in July
07/06/2011 Irish House Prices Continue to Fall in April
13/05/2011 New Irish House Price Measure Confirms Scale of Fall in Property Values
05/05/2011 ECB Takes A Little More Time
29/04/2011 Can The ECB Quell Global Inflation?
07/04/2011 ECB Raises Rates and Doesn't Alter Expectations of Further Increases
24/03/2011 4th Quarter Growth Data Point To Continuing Weakness In Irish Economy
15/03/2011 Irish Unemployment Revised Higher As Jobs Data Disappoint
03/03/2011 ECB Suggests Rates Will Rise in April
03/02/2011 ECB Suggests Rate Rise Is Still Some Distance Away – But Still Seems Likely in 2011
13/01/2011 ECB Signals Inflation Concern and Opens Up Rate Hike Risks
16/12/2010 Irish Growth Improves… Slightly
14/12/2010 Budget 2011 Broadly As Expected
09/12/2010 Irish Jobs Market Remains Weak
03/12/2010 ECB Opts Not To Act
24/11/2010 Irish Government Four Year Plan Removes One Uncertainty
17/11/2010 Irish Inflation: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
04/11/2010 Business as usual at the ECB?
07/10/2010 ECB Stuck In Wait and See Mode
23/09/2010 Irish Growth Data Disappoint
21/09/2010 Irish Jobs Market Still Weak But Showing Tentative Signs Of Improvement
03/09/2010 ECB A Little More Optimistic But Rate Increases Remain Off The Agenda
05/08/2010 ECB To Bide Its Time
08/07/2010 ECB Says Little New But Sounds Slightly More Optimistic
30/06/2010 Mixed Signals Suggest Irish Economy Improving Slightly
15/06/2010 Irish Jobs Market Starting to Stabilise?
10/06/2010 ECB Unlikely To Be Radical But May Keep Rates Lower For Longer
06/05/2010 Which Way Will The ECB Jump?
08/04/2010 Its All Greek At The ECB
24/03/2010 Irish Jobs Market Remains Weak But Worst May Be Over
04/03/2010 ECB Continues On A Slow And Steady Path
02/03/2010 February Exchequer Returns Suggest Government Targets Broadly On Track
04/02/2010 ECB Bides It’s Time
14/01/2010 ECB Signals Rate Increases Not On The Horizon
17/12/2009 Irish Recession Over? Oh Yes It Is…. Oh No It Isn’t
16/12/2009 Irish Employment Continues To Shrink
09/12/2009 Budget 2010 Pain But Some Progress
04/12/2009 ECB To Remove Liquidity Early But Raise Rates Later
06/11/2009 ECB Signals Reduced Support For Banking System But Rate Hikes Still Far Away
08/10/2009 ECB Still Some Distance From The Exit Strategy
08/10/2009 Irish Consumer Prices Show Surprisingly Large Fall In September
24/09/2009 Growth Data Suggest Irish Economy Is Bottoming Out
22/09/2009 Irish Job Market Weakens and Migrants Leave
03/09/2009 Bumpy Road Means ECB In No Rush To Raise Rates
02/07/2009 Mid Year Tax Revenues Disappoint
02/07/2009 ECB To Hold Rates Steady For Some Time
30/06/2009 Growth Data Confirm Severe Irish Slowdown in Early 2009
26/06/2009 Sharp Weakening of Irish Jobs Market Confirmed
04/06/2009 ECB Suggests Enough Has Been Done
03/06/2009 May Tax Revenues It’s Good News But Not Great News
07/05/2009 ECB Cuts Again And Hints It May Not Be Finished
07/04/2009 Supplementary Budget 2009 Some More Done, A Great Deal More To Do
02/04/2009 Better to Travel Hopefully…
05/03/2009 ECB Rates Hit New Low And Will Go Lower
27/02/2009 Sharp Drop in Irish Employment Underlines Scale of Downturn
15/01/2009 ECB Cuts And Hints At Further Easing
13/01/2009 ECB Rates Set To Fall Sharply But Thursday Could Disappoint
18/12/2008 Irish Economy Softens In The Summer And Is Set To Weaken Much Further
04/12/2008 It’s Christmas, There is a Sanity Clause
21/11/2008 Pressure for Bigger ECB Rate Cut Builds
21/11/2008 Irish Job Market Shows the Strain
06/11/2008 ECB Lowers Rates and Signals Further Cuts to Come

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