Business sentiment in Ireland hit a nine-year high during the final months of last year according to a new study.
Stronger economic activity and increased confidence regarding the economy as a whole pushed business sentiment back to 2007 levels, according to the latest sentiment study from KBC Bank Ireland and the Chartered Accountants.
While a British exit from the EU would have significant impacts on the Irish economy, 54% of the businesses polled do not believe that their businesses would be directly affected by the UK leaving the EU.
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Opec believes that it is close to squeezing US shale oil producers out of the market, and that 2016 will be the year when the cartel reasserts its power.
"The analysis indicates that 2016 will be a supply-driven market. It will also be the year when the rebalancing process starts," Opec said in a new report.
"After seven straight years of phenomenal non-Opec supply growth," the group says that this trend will end in 2016 as low oil prices squeeze less economical producers out of the oil market.
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Jérôme Kerviel, a 'rogue trader' who was jailed when he was found guilty of generating losses of €6.3bn for Société Générale is seeking a retrial.
The financial institution claimed that he engaged in risky trading without approval from his managers.
His legal team has argued that his superiors were aware of the decisions that he was making, and that they should have shared the blame for the losses.
The calls for a retrial are centered on a recording of Nathalie Le Roy, the head of the police’s financial crimes brigade, which was published by an online French newspaper.
"In this case, there are things which are not normal," she said, "When you talk about it everyone in finance laughs, knowing very well that Société Générale was aware [of Kerviel’s trades]. Société Générale knew, knew…it’s obvious."
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New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show a steady rise in disposable income, consumption, and household savings.
The "institutional sector accounts" reveal that gross disposable income in the third quarter of 2015 rose to €24.47bn - up from €21.54bn in the first quarter of 2014.
Income for self-employed people has risen significantly to €7.08bn in the third quarter of 2015, up from €4.85bn in the first quarter of 2014 - an increase of €2.23bn.
During the same period, wages for employees experienced a smaller increase, growing from €17.51bn to €18.25bn.
