A reality check on rich-country inequality
This post reviews the ILO’s Global Wage Report and in particular its expanding dataset on internal inequality between top and bottom earners. While inequality has fallen in many countries, including Ireland, there is no strong evidence of a global trend in that direction. The figures contain an important reminder: even the poorest in wealthy countries live in conditions that average earners in most other countries would happily take. Read more
China, the EU (Greece), the US and the economics of paying for news online
Spotting the swallows – Ireland’s rental market in 2010
Ireland’s property market has had nothing but bad news for most of the past three years. This post reviews some of the data from the rental market during 2009, in particular comparing the stock on the rental market with the number of transactions it is processing. It finds evidence to believe rents will level off in Dublin and the other major cities in the next few months, although the outlook for smaller rental markets looks unchanged from a year ago. Read more
Long-term unemployment must rise to top of the agenda in 2010
Of the various economic problems that face Ireland, unemployment has been the one to show least signs of turning the corner. This post reviews the latest Live Register data, and finds some crumbs of comfort in the marked slowdown in new job losses recently. It also analyses the gender and age breakdown of the Live Register in 2009, finding men under-25 have had it toughest, before offering some thoughts on growth sectors for the future. Read more
Asking prices down up to 43%, Irish property market loses €180bn in value
The latest Daft report, reviewing house prices in 2009, was published today. This post reviews its main findings and updates the estimate of the total value of residential property in the country, before outlining the likely developments in the Irish property market over the course of 2010. Read more
Reforming taxes on work the big challenge to EU competitiveness
This post reviews the latest Paying Taxes report by the World Bank. It highlights a huge challenge for the EU, which aims to become the most competitive economy in the world, as very few of its member states have a globally competitive regulatory system. An analysis of the report’s figures shows the EU has attempted to build its success on efficient corporate tax systems, while labour taxes remain hugely inefficient. Read more