Exports up as pound drops

Trade figures suggest Irish firms involved in exports and imports of goods with Britain are faring surprisingly well amid the Brexit-driven slump in the value of sterling against the euro.

The figures come amid a renewed weakness for sterling, which traded at 91.25p, the second-lowest level since the Brexit referendum last summer.

In recent days, major international banks have predicted sterling could drop much further and reach a historic low of parity against the euro, because the eurozone economy is expanding at a time when the UK economy is slowing.