Ireland’s services sector shrank by its fastest rate in six months in January, when a marked fall in new orders indicated that unusually bad weather was not solely to blame, a survey showed this week. The NCB Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 44.4 from 48.3 in December, when it had reached a level last equalled…
Western powers have called for a fourth round of UN measures against Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment activities as demanded by five Security Council resolutions. Iran insists it has a sovereign right to produce nuclear fuel for what it says is a peaceful civilian atomic energy programme. The west fears Tehran’s programme is…
Australia’s central bank shocked markets by skipping an interest rate rise this week, citing the impact of higher mortgage rates at home while noting tighter policy in China and concerns over sovereign debt abroad. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to keep its key cash rate at 3.75 percent confounded expectations of a rise…
US auto sales for January are expected to show a sharp drop for Toyota after it pulled eight of its most popular models from showrooms last week following complaints over sticking accelerator pedals. In the first public comment from an executive at Toyota’s head office, the company’s executive in charge of quality said he was…
