US employers hired more workers than expected in July and raised their wages, signs of labour market tightness that likely clears the way for the Federal Reserve to announce a plan to start shrinking its massive bond portfolio.

Before UK prime minister Theresa May surprised markets with a snap general election, 2017 was already the year of political risk for Europe.

The renewed slump in sterling is hurting key Irish businesses hard as the turmoil caused by the uncertainty of the UK’s new relationship with Europe will persist for a long time, analysts here have warned.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Profits at financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald in Ireland more than halved to €241,837 in 2015.

Global shares slumped and gold climbed yesterday as investors crowded into haven assets after the latest US presidential polls suggested a tighter race.

A number of so-called ‘super-majors’ — a term typically used to describe the biggest eight, or so, oil companies in the world — have shown interest in offshore assets held by freshly financed Irish explorer Providence Resources, its chief executive said yesterday.

Providence Resources chief Tony O’Reilly Jr has said he remains “hopeful” the company can land a long-awaited development partner for its flagship Barryroe field, in the Celtic Sea, in the next six months.

Pressure to lower mortgage rates will likely weigh on the profitability of 75%-State-owned Permanent TSB (PTSB) over the coming years, according to Davy Stockbrokers.

Holidaymakers are set to benefit from a fresh price war among European airlines this summer, with Ryanair about to slash costs and competitors likely to follow suit.

Spanish stocks dropped after elections on Sunday left no clear winner, signalling weeks of political instability ahead.

Most eurozone bond yields fell yesterday, including the cost of borrowing for the Irish Government, after ECB policy makers hinted at their readiness to modify or expand their unprecedented stimulus programme should market turbulence warrant further action.

Following Cabinet discussions on the potential sale of Aer Lingus Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe has said the Government would seek answers from IAG over the future of Aer Lingus in coming days.

Ireland is expected to be one of the stand-out economies in the eurozone, this year, with GDP growth of around 4%.

The National Treasury Management Agency sold €4bn of seven-year debt yesterday, covering around a third of its planned issuance for the year and refinancing at record low rates some of the funds that kept its economy afloat in 2010.

Sainsbury predicted no let-up in the difficulties facing the UK supermarket industry, taking the shine off a better-than-expected Christmas quarter.

Irish-founded wind and solar company Mainstream Renewable Power has assembled a €60m warchest, much of which will come from the National Pensions Reserve Fund.

We despise them - yet we imbue them with our hopes and dreams, our dearest memories, our deepest meanings. They unlock much more than our accounts, writes Ian Urbina

The Irish arm of US investment banking giant Cantor Fitzgerald has posted an after-tax profit of just over €8m for 2013.

New Tesco boss Dave Lewis will be under pressure over plunging profits and a £250m accounting scandal when the company publishes half-year results today.

British airline, EasyJet is giving an increased forecast for upcoming full-year earnings in the latest indication of the success of its low-cost model. The forecast has spurred hopes of a lucrative reward to shareholders.

Two members of Davy Stockbrokers’s Private Client division who joined the firm following the collapse of Bloxham Stockbrokers in 2012, are both leaving the firm.

Marks & Spencer shares suffered a sharp reversal today as the retailer struggled to convince investors that its clothing sales are back on track.

Merrion Capital Group’s head of private clients Shane Nolan is preparing a management-led buyout of the firm, according to sources.

Mothercare has warned it will miss profit expectations after fierce Christmas discounting left it nursing a big drop in UK sales.

Operating losses at the Irish arm of international brokerage firm, Cantor Fitzgerald last year fell 67% to €408,043.

Bank of Ireland is expected to announce a preference share repayment deal within the coming days, despite confusion arising yesterday as to the full extent of money it may need to cover loan losses.

Tesco’s recovery plans will come under more scrutiny tomorrow when it delivers half year results amid mounting pressure on its market share in Ireland and the UK.

AIB raised €500m through a five-year covered bond at roughly an interest rate of 3.2% — the third time it has tapped the markets since last November.

Ireland’s revived sugar industry will create 3,000 jobs and generate €250m annually when EU sugar quotas are removed from 2017, according to Beet Ireland chairman Michael Hoey.

Glanbia MD designate Siobhan Talbot will be the first female head of an Irish plc with a turnover in excess of €2bn and given John Moloney’s impressive record, the Kilkenny woman has a tough act to follow, writes Kyran FitzGerald

Ireland’s debt agency may seek to sell a syndicated bond through banks as early as next week after the Government’s borrowing costs fell in the wake of an accord to ease its bank bailout burden, analysts said.

Cantor Fitzgerald has been considering a stockbroking acquisition here since 2010 and now, having bought Dolmen Securities, the US firm has ambitious plans to jump start the corporate bond market in Ireland, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

The US brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald has taken over the Dublin-based stockbroking firm Dolmen for an undisclosed fee.

Up to 440 jobs are to be created in the health, finance, and technology sectors thanks to announcements by three companies yesterday.

Tensions over how to pay proper respect to the dead are overshadowing New York’s 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero as a gap widens between survivors and the general public 11 years after the event.

Stocks rose soundly today following word that some of the problems dogging big companies like General Motors Corp. and Bear Stearns Cos. could be on the mend.

On the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, dignitaries, community leaders and relatives of victims stood at ground zero and gave voice to the names of the dead. Last year, the children of victims took up that task.

OUR daughter, Colleen Ann Meehan Barkow, aged 26, perished in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001.

Shares in Regus have lifted nearly 10% as Indigo Capital admitted it's interested in buying the firm.

A small piece of the World Trade Centre has been buried under the flagpole at the US Embassy in Kabul.