Trump imposes new tariffs, Ireland’s Brexit exposure, and INM data breach case

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from ‘The Irish Times’ business desk

US President Donald Trump gestures during a Make America Great Again rally in Great Falls, Montana. Photograph: REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
US President Donald Trump gestures during a Make America Great Again rally in Great Falls, Montana. Photograph: REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Donald Trump has set the cat among the pigeons by imposing new tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese imports, a move that has been described by Beijing as an act of trade bullying.

As UK cabinet ministers hold crucial talks to try and agree a Brexit strategy,a report by the Irish Institute of European Affairs (IIEA) suggests the Republic's grocery sector could be the hardest hit from Brexit with more than two-thirds of products on Irish supermarket shelves either manufactured in the UK or imported through Britain. A second report, this time from the ESRI, highlights Irish exposure to Brexit charges on imports.

Elsewhere Barry O'Halloran examines the escalating level of staff unrest at Ryanair and asks is Michael O'Leary the person to lead Ryanair into a unionised future?

Our Friday interview is with eShopWorld founder Tommy Kelly. His Swords-based company, which employs more than 200 people, connects premium brands from Victoria's Secret to Nike with consumers in more than 200 countries.

READ MORE

Peter Hamilton also reports on a former CIÉ transport ship that serviced the Aran Islands that is to become home to luxury five-star accommodation berthed at Dublin's Custom House Quay.

Our weekly World of Work featuregrapples with the fear of public speaking and offers expert tips on how to conquer your fears.

In his economics column, John FitzGerald, meanwhile, suggests the Government need to put more than €500 million in the so-called rainy day fund.