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A tale of two economies

A recent report on economic activity in Britain was stunningly anemic. It showed the U.K. economy actually contracted in the fourth quarter of 2010 by 0.5 percent. The troubling aspect was not just that it underwhelmed expectations, but that it comes at a time when inflation is rising to an uncomfortable level. Increasing prices have prompted discussions of a tightening in monetary policy by U.K. central bankers. Inflation rose to 3.7% in December, well above the official target of 2%, and s...
Ireland's Foreign Minister Martin gestures during a news conference at a hotel in Dublin

With its Finance Bill passed, Ireland now makes ready for a General Election

There was little good news for Fianna Fáil this past weekend with a general election expected to be held on 25 February and no change in the prediction that the current ruling party are going to lose badly. However, with a new party leader, Micheál Martin, Fianna Fáil's support does appear to have stabilised at 16 per cent. This was found to be the case in two opinion polls, one conducted by Red Co for the Sunday Business Post and another by MillwardBrown Lansdowne for the Sunday Independen...