Home > Financial > Irish central bank raises GDP growth forecasts

Irish central bank raises GDP growth forecasts

Written by Business World, on 12th Apr 2018. Posted in Financial

article headline

Ireland's central bank on Thursday raised its forecast for economic growth as domestic activity strengthened and international demand improved, but it said the economy was vulnerable to post-Brexit trade restrictions and changes in European Union tax rules.

Ireland's economy has been the best performing in Europe since 2014 and the central bank sees that momentum continuing, with gross domestic product set to grow by 4.8% this year - up from an earlier forecast of 4.4% - and by 4.2% in 2019.

That puts the bank's forecasts further ahead of the finance ministry, whose figures form the basis of the government's budget policies. The ministry predicted in October GDP would grow 3.5% in 2018 and 3.2% in 2019.

"Our forecasts for further growth in earnings this year and next, combined with expectations of modest inflation, means rising wages should translate into higher real incomes and greater purchasing power for households," Mark Cassidy, director of economics and statistics at the bank, said in a statement.

Risks to growth in the Irish economy, where U.S. technology and pharmaceutical firms are major employers, include uncertainty around the implications of U.S. tax reform and possible EU changes to the taxation of digital services.

The risk of protectionist international trading measures is also a danger, it said.

The report also warned there could be a costly diversion of resources to logistics and trade-processing systems if the regime governing UK-EU trade shifts substantially.

The volatility of Irish GDP has called into question its relevance in accurately measuring activity, but the bank cited strong employment as a sign that the real economy was performing well.

Unemployment is set to fall to under 5% in 2019 from 6.1% in March, down from 16% in 2012, when Ireland was midway through a three-year international bailout. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

More articles from Financial

image Description

Master International Business Transactions with These Top Payment Systems!

Read more
image Description

Ireland was fastest growing economy in Europe in 2022

Read more
image Description

Irish budget position was strongest in euro area

Read more
image Description

6 in 10 Irish consumers have no extra money left at the end of the month

Read more
image Description

Inflation is the number one concern amongst Irish consumers

Read more