OUTPUT in the Irish construction sector plunged by more than 26% in the second quarter of the year while Poland saw a near 20% surge.

SMALL businesses will come under further pressure because the budget has done little for the promotion of enterprise.

LIKE a phoenix rising from the ashes, Brian Lenihan swooped down on the banking sector yesterday rescuing it from the brink of disaster.

FALLING oil prices, bringing forward the budget and job wins by the IDA all helped to push consumer sentiment up in September for a second successive month.

Consumer confidence has risen for the first time since January as falling oil prices and the summer sales helped ease concerns about the global credit crunch.

Irish consumers are feeling slightly more positive about their finances.

IIB Homeloans have today cut its three- and five-year fixed rate mortgages as well as introducing a new Flexi Saver mortgage product.

IIB HOMELOANS yesterday announced a 25-30 basis point reduction across its three- and five-year fixed rate mortgages in a bid to increase its competitiveness in the Irish lending market.

LOWER food and clothing prices pushed inflation to its lowest level in six months, falling from 5% in June to 4.4% last month.

Three-quarters of firms have seen their costs rise in the past three months, a survey found.

The idea that the media is responsible for the loss of consumer confidence that has undermined the economy is nonsense.

IRISH consumers may have braced themselves for tougher times better than their counterparts in other countries as consumer sentiment remained stable last month.

AFTER-TAX profits at IIB Bank grew by 10% to €137 million last year as lending growth cooled.

JOB losses coupled with the arrival of new year bills and an end to the sales resulted in consumer confidence falling significantly in February.

CONSUMER confidence fell by a third over the past 12 months despite a rise in January from a four-and-a-half-year low.

Turmoil in world financial markets and nervousness about the Irish economic outlook mean Irish house prices could slip by a further 5% in coming months, according to a forecast by IIB Bank.

CONSUMER confidence has fallen to its lowest level in four-and-a-half years.

Irish exports are expected to decline in 2008 due to a slowdown in the world economy.

Irish businesses remain positive about their future, despite fears of an economic recession in the US, according to a survey by IIB Bank.

Consumer confidence in Ireland is at its lowest level in four years, according to the latest assessment by the ESRI and IIB Bank.

A HIGH COURT judge has refused an application by solicitor Thomas Byrne to lift an injunction granted to IIB Bank last month that restrains Mr Byrne reducing his assets or accounts below €9 million.

SOLICITOR Thomas Byrne was yesterday ordered by the Commercial Court to repay €2 million to IIB Homeloans.

Solicitor Michael Lynn who practice was shut down by the law society has been ordered to pay just under €5m to four banks.

SOME of the country’s leading banks are trying to “jump the queue” in the race to be the first to register claims over properties the subject of multiple mortgages taken out by solicitor Michael Lynn, the High Court was told by lawyers for other banks yesterday.

TEN banks and other financial institutions which had dealings with solicitor Michael Lynn in relation to an unknown number of properties are to pool information to try and establish the extent of the solicitor’s liabilities, estimated at up to €50 million, the High Court heard yesterday.

THE Head of Lending with IIB Bank has told the High Court of concerns about title documents to a number of properties, including residential properties, in relation to which solicitor Thomas A Byrne had dealings.

LEGAL title of a number of residential homes with which a Dublin solicitor had dealings appears to be cast in doubt, the High Court heard yesterday.

A new report released by IIB bank has revealed a more optimistic mood than generally expected in the Irish business climate.

IIB Bank says a sharp fall in consumer confidence is now the biggest threat to the housing sector in Ireland.

A LENDING company has repossessed 30 homes since entering the Irish mortgage market in 2005, it emerged yesterday.

THE European Central Bank (ECB) is expectedto prepare the grounds for another interest rate rise next month at its monthly meeting, which takes place in Dublin today.

House price growth would "soften" this year, according to IIB Bank, which today announced after-tax profits for last year of €125m.

IIB Bank’s 30-year streak of growing profits continued in 2006 with earnings up by a quarter.

Consumer confidence in Ireland is at its lowest level since last August, according to IIB Bank and the ESRI.

A Fianna Fáil has backed down on his calls to reduce Cork airport’s debt by €20 million.

Irish people remain optimistic about their financial futures despite the rising cost of living, according to the latest consumer sentiment index from the ESRI and IIB Bank.

The chief economist with IIB has disputed the IMF's contention that Ireland's economy is becoming "increasingly imbalanced" due to a heavy reliance on construction and the property market.

HOUSE prices could rise by 10% over the next two years as billions of euro in SSIA money floods into the economy, according to a new survey.

IIB Bank continued a 32-year streak of growth with profits rising more than €10 million last year.

Irish Investment Bank has announced after-tax profits of €100m.

IIB Bank is predicting a further rise in interest rates as early as next month.

IRISH consumers have remained in cheerful mood over the new year period with the latest IIB Bank/ESRI consumer sentiment index showing a fourth consecutive monthly increase in January.

IIB Bank has predicted that the relentless increase in Irish house prices will continue unabated this year.

A BATTLE between ‘Good Santa’, Brian Cowen, and ‘Bad Santa’, ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet, will drive consumer sentiment and spending this Christmas.