A round-up of today's other news stories in brief
Construction sector growth rate slows
Employment in the construction sector continues to grow but the rate of growth is slowing significantly, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said yesterday.
According to the latest monthly index of employment in construction, the number of jobs in the sector - which presently employs over 280,000 persons - grew annually by 1.9 per cent in December of last year.
The rate compares with growth of 2.5 per cent for November and a rate of 3 per cent for October.
The average rate of growth for last year was 2.3 per cent, compared with 3.7 per cent growth in 2005.
The latest Ulster Bank Purchasing Managers' Index of the construction sector suggests that sentiment continued to remain strong in the first month of the new year.
But that employment growth was slackening as activity shifted from house building to commercial construction projects.
Ryanair listing on Nasdaq 100
Ryanair is to be included on the Nasdaq 100 index from tomorrow. Nearly 40 per cent of the stock in the airline, which has a market capitalisation of $12.3 billion (€9.4 billion), trades on the Nasdaq.
Ryanair's chief financial officer Howard Millar said yesterday that this listing will make the airline more visible to both institutional and private investors worldwide.
EU proposal for 3G phone overhaul
Leading mobile phone operators in the EU could save billions of euro on third generation network access under a proposal to be launched next month.
Groups such as Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom, owner of T-Mobile, would for the first time be allowed to offer lucrative 3G services on their existing second generation networks, as part of the biggest overhaul yet by the European Commission of radio spectrum laws. - (Financial Times service)
New rules for website firms
The Director of Corporate Enforcement, Paul Appleby, has outlined new regulations applying to limited liability companies operating websites or issuing e-mails.
Such companies must now display details such as their name, legal form, place of registration and registration number on their website and in all electronic communications such as e-mails.
North business growth continues
Activity and new business growth reached two-and-a-half year highs in Northern Ireland, according to the latest Ulster Bank Purchasing Managers' Index for the North.
January saw a 46th successive monthly rise in business activity which reached 59.9 compared to the overall UK figure of 57.6.
Growth accelerated at the start of 2007 to a rate that was highest since May 2004. Volumes of new orders rose at the fastest rate for two-and-a-half years, with companies noting higher levels of market activity and demand.
Employment rose at the highest rate in the survey's history.
Financial services centre for UCC
Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin yesterday launched the Financial Services Innovation Centre at University College Cork.
The centre was established to help companies in the sector develop new innovative products and services through collaborative R&D projects.
