Consumer confidence drop 'worrying', says economist

Irish consumer sentiment fell sharply last month with concerns over a 'no deal' Brexit, the nurses' strike and overruns at the National Children's Hospital.

KBC's latest index shows consumer sentiment was at 86.5 in February - down from 98.8 in January.

Chief Economist at the bank, Austin Hughes, says the drop in confidence wasn't surprising - but the scale of the slide was:

"The scale of the drop is a little bit worrying because it suggests consumers are taking an altogether darker view of the outlook of the Irish economy and for jobs," he told Newstalk this morning.