WE CONTINUE to live through uncertain times in global financial markets.

THE global economy is emerging from three years of solid economic growth. This benign economic background proved supportive of global equity markets and investors have enjoyed good returns.

AT THE time of the flotation of Aer Lingus I argued that investment in a company operating within the straitjacket of a significant government shareholding and strong trade union input would not represent a particularly dynamic investment bet.

THE Taoiseach is getting visibly upset about some of the commentary and analysis on the Irish economy. His suggestion that people who dare to put a negative gloss on the current state of the Irish economy “are not economists... and know nothing about nothing” is confusing.

LAST Friday afternoon the gravity of the problems facing equity markets and indeed the overall global economy was demonstrated in stark fashion by the dramatic decision of the US Federal Reserve to cut one of its two key interest rates by 0.5%.

FOR anybody with an indirect interest in farming, the income figures released by Teagasc earlier this week made for very gloomy reading — but for those directly involved in the industry, it made for truly depressing reading.

ANECDOTAL evidence is suggesting that the Christmas season is turning out to be a bumper one, with the animal spirits of the consumer abundantly apparent.

NEXT Wednesday Finance Minister Brian Cowen will present his last Budget before next year’s General Election.