Business confidence slips, First Citizen doubles loan book and Prop C

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

Brexit has hurt Irish business confidence.

Irish business sentiment slipped to a six-year low in the third quarter as fears of a no-deal Brexit weighed on confidence, writes Laura Slattery .

Consumer finance firm First Citizen's loan book has doubled in the past two years to about €300 million, driven by car financing and growing business lines in commercial property and the funding of equipment and machinery for farmers and small firms, according to its chief executive Chris Hanlon. Joe Brennan reports.

Need a new smartphone? Ciara O'Brien tells us which are the affordable ones. Ciara also test the Audeara A-01 headphones.

Cantillon has a word of warning for credit unions, thinks that the National Broadband Plan's woes could be a blessing in disguise and ponders passports for investment.

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Proposition C in San Francisco would impose extra taxes on larger businesses and corporations — those earning more than $50 million in revenue annually — to raise $300 million a year towards targeted housing projects and to bolster services for the homeless. However, it has divided the city's tech community. Columnist Karlin Lillington looks at the issue that has seen Propisition C supporter and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff take on Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Stripe's Patrick Collison.

Weprofile the 2018 Irish Times Innovation Awards finalists competing in the manufacturing and design sector.

Why are there so many Thai restaurants in the US? John Holden answers the question.

Despite having no background in tech, Lisa Marie Clinton has built a successful start-up.

In the latestInside Business podcast Ciarán Hancock talks to Leinster Rugby CEO Mick Dawson.

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Conn Ó Midheach

Conn Ó Midheach

Conn O Midheach is Assistant Business Editor - Digital of The Irish Times