Kingspan and Kerry in Russia, Ryanair’s outlook, and Irish whiskey for €94,000

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

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary. The outlook for the airline is positive in spite of large losses recorded last year. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Kingspan and Kerry yesterday became the latest Irish companies to move towards an exit from doing business in Russia. Kingspan plans to sell its business while Kerry has suspended operations in Russia and neighbouring Belarus. Barry O'Halloran has the details.

The European Union is not currently planning to impose sanctions on Russian gas, EU commissioner for economy Paolo Gentiloni has said, amid warnings that the war in Ukraine would slow economic growth this year. Naomi O'Leary reports.

Two bottles of rare Irish whiskey sold for a combined €94,000 at auction recently, setting new records in the process. Barry O'Halloran has the details.

Sentiment in the Irish services sector plunged in March, despite evidence of growing momentum in its recovery, while inflationary pressures surged to record highs, according to the latest survey by AIB. Laura Slattery reports.

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Ryanair will report a loss of up to ¤450 million when it publishes its full year results in the coming weeks but the future looks promising for the airline if there are no more Covid-19 restrictions or other shocks to air travel, writes Cantillon.

In Q&A, a reader wonders about the tax status of making a donation to charities in their will. Dominic Coyle offers some guidance.

In our personal finance feature, Dominic Coyle looks at what the State's pensions auto-enrolment plan will mean for workers.

Media giants have realised the potential of courting "casual fans", according to Laura Slattery in her weekly media and marketing column.

In Me & My Money, Ruairí Conroy, site lead for Diligent Corporation, recounts a work trip to Cape Town that involved visiting a top-25 restaurants in the world and ordering an 11-course tasting menu that cost €300 per head. "It was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience."

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Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times