It can be all too easy to get caught up in the negativity that has surrounded the world of business in the past few years. But while the concerns of business experts are often valid, when we peel back the layers of commentary the figures can sometimes paint a...
It has been encouraging in the first quarter of 2018 to hear of so many organisations in Northern Ireland - both SME and large-scale - announcing they have increased their revenues and annual profits, and as a result intend to grow their business.
Two months ago, 20 aspiring start-up founders took the brave step of launching a business - many of them leaving the security of a 9-5 job in pursuit of their new venture.
The consortium that bought Sean Quinn's former cement and plastics operations got a real bargain from the receivers back in 2014.
Although there are many signs that most people in Northern Ireland are better off than they were 20 years ago this does not prove that the Agreement itself caused greater prosperity.
Architecture over the last 20 years highlights the significant progress of our society as it emerged from conflict but also reminds us of the political instability and the divisions that remain.
Monitoring the problems facing the Northern Ireland economy is now unfortunately a passive activity.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is going in search of a "middle way" when it comes to how banks interact with their small business customers. Mr Donohoe wants to get a briefing from the banks on how the closure of branches may be affecting the levels of...
Big changes are about to take place in electricity generation in Northern Ireland. The existing Single Electricity Market (SEM) system will be replaced by the still to be fully presented Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM).
After securing the phase one Brexit agreement in December, the UK and the EU have reached agreement again.
At present it is easy to be downbeat when considering the retail property sector and there is no doubt the market is difficult.
Doing business in Africa is unique. Despite a history of commodity-dependence, many of its economies are on the rise and you will now find microcosms of industry and innovation hubs in almost every city.
It's the Northern Ireland Year of Infrastructure #Infra2018 and there has never been a better time to emphasise the environmental and economic imperative to invest in our waste infrastructure in NI - in particular energy from waste (EFW) facilities to deal with non-...
The Northern Ireland budget for 2018-19 has been tabled by the Secretary of State in the absence of a local Executive. But despite the allocation of £410m as a result of the DUP agreement with the Government, the recurrent budget for public services in 2018-19...
Bliss it was in that dawn to be alive. But to be young was very heaven. I do not think many would use those words by Wordsworth about the French Revolution to describe how they felt back in 1998. However, the Belfast Agreement may have produced a certain...
Philip Hammond kept expectations low ahead of his new Budget-lite spring statement. He duly delivered what many would deem a non-event.
With the deadlock at Stormont reaching its 14th month, the business community in Northern Ireland is all too accustomed to uncertainty.
The Irish border poses difficult questions for Brexit. Will cross-border trade attract customs duties, and how will cross-border trade be measured? Then, the question becomes, 'Can the Irish land border be given special treatment after Brexit?'
Prestige Insurance Holdings is a group of insurance-related businesses registered in Carrickfergus, where it has been trading since 2008. Prior to the registration of this company, Prestige Underwriting Services was trading successfully and later became a wholly owned subsidiary of this company.
Big improvements in how people perform at work are increasingly possible. More automation is essentially good news. Better productivity re-enforces viability and growth, even though some businesses may need fewer employees and must plan for possible redundancies.
While there are many aspects to diversity, the area currently in most focus is the representation of women in senior management.
The Irish Government has drawn up another roadmap. This time it involves auto-enrolment for pensions. At some point, the Government will take out one of these roadmaps and actually set off on a journey somewhere.
After over 20 years as a litigation lawyer and several years conducting Northern Ireland's longest running civil trial, Dorcas Crawford, senior partner at Edwards & Co Solicitors, began to re-evaluate the whole area of dispute resolution and concluded that there was a 'better way'.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive annual report and accounts for the year to March 2017 make worrying reading. Chairman Professor Peter Roberts highlights the achievements and shows where the NIHE has delivered on its targets. His headlines included the...
Business owners being caught up in daily operations often results in a time-pressured approach when considering suitable funding options for the business.
Construction company Lagan Group, led by Kevin Lagan, has said it is considering an "unsolicited approach" for part of its business from Leicestershire-based Breedon Aggregates.
The decision by the Utility Regulator, within the new Integrated Single Electricity Market, not to award any contract for electricity capacity from the main electricity generating units in Kilroot, has come as a surprise. In response, Kilroot owner AES, has submitted notice of their request to be allowed to close these two large coal or oil-based units at the end of May.
In a few months, as a result of a new Integrated Single Electricity Market (ISEM) auction stipulations and its outcome, Northern Ireland is set to close electricity generators that have maintained security of supply for decades.
One newspaper described the stock markets as "melting" during the week. Time magazine referred to the "Dow's biggest plunge ever". Yet it wasn't a market meltdown as US and international stocks recovered most of their losses in subsequent sessions.
Brexit has remained at the top of the news agenda, for obvious reasons. For many sectors, the uncertainty it has brought has been a challenge, but for others, particularly for retail in border areas like Newry, it has provided a boost.
After a short period of relative calm on the Brexit front, the debate has truly kicked off again over the last few weeks.
The outcome of the negotiations between the UK and the European Council on the Brexit arrangements is important not just to the UK as a nation, but to the devolved administrations such as Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Since boards of directors are charged with the governance of their organisations, one of the key areas of focus for many directors will be whether the board itself and its sub-committees are operating effectively.
In the recent case of King v The Sash Window Workshop, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) held that anyone deemed to have 'worker' status must be able to carry over paid annual leave, even if they have not had the opportunity to take it.
A Belfast Telegraph article recently lamented the closure of one of Belfast's most beloved independent retailers, WM McMaster.
Viridian, the parent company of suppliers Power NI and Energia, is considering closing its two electricity plants in the Republic. This followed the failure of one of the plants to win a contract from Eirgrid, the company which manages the country's electricity requirements.
Gerry Mallon's sudden decision to quit as boss of Ulster Bank in the Republic after just a year-and-a-half in charge has inevitably raised questions about the bank's future. No one saw it coming. Last Wednesday, Mallon, who had been in situ for less than 20...
Northern Ireland badly needs improved economic policy ideas to close the gap with other regions in the UK and Ireland. In this search, radical ideas are emerging from Catalyst Inc (formerly the Science Park) which is working on the potential contribution of growing a 'knowledge economy'.
At first glance, the fact that the commercial property investment market in Northern Ireland was valued at almost £341m last year suggests it is demonstrating resilience and keeping pace with the activity of recent years.
The action plans for Invest NI are becoming more difficult to develop. The uncertainty about the likely outcome of the Brexit negotiations puts large question marks over the shape of UK economic policy.
Forestside, along with Foyleside, was formerly part of a large property group carrying large financial debts which disappeared in the restructuring of the property market crisis.
In the first-ever group litigation for a data breach to come before the courts, the High Court in various Claimants v Wm Morrisons Supermarkets Plc (2017) has found Morrisons vicariously liable for the leak of almost 100,000 employees’ details by a disgruntled...
Whether you are considering purchasing, selling or investigating a company, or researching a competitor, analysing financial statements is often your first port of call.
Efforts to manage the local economy are heavily dependent on the decisions of politicians who have responsibility for Government policy. Politics and economics are interdependent.
Lots of people had a pep in their step this Christmas. Overall spending was up but you could see it anecdotally. Some people were spending a little more on presents than previous years, or re-introducing others to the Christmas list, who had dropped off in...
Annual external and export sales figures have shown that, despite wider uncertainty, our firms are proving that when the opportunity presents itself, the sector is more than able to grasp it.
In recent years one economic trend in particular has become increasingly important for policymakers across most western economies: productivity. It has become such a significant issue because while most other economic metrics eventually began to...
The year 2017 was undoubtedly a better year for the economy than many had predicted. A wide range of indicators improved during the 12 months, including private sector employment (now at a record high), construction activity, and both tourism and trade.
Public sector spending for each person is higher in Northern Ireland by comparison with Scotland and most of the English regions. That advantage is rejected by some of the critics because, across the full range of public services, pressing financial needs cannot be met.
Mash Direct is an ambitious and growing vegetable preparation business based in Comber.
