This week the Belfast Telegraph revealed every one of Northern Ireland’s councils was raising its business rates, from the smallest rise in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, at 0.99%, to the inflation-busting hike of 3.46% from Derry & Strabane District Council.
The following quote is from the 2018 Knowledge Economy report, published last week. "If we don't increase our efforts … there is no question that our economy will continue to fall behind. And we all have a role to play."
Political crises bring out the best in some people and the worst in others. What is it about Brexit that when it comes to the British political classes, Brexit's unique brand of toxicity only serves to bring out the worst?
When it comes to being your own boss, something that holds a lot of people back is the feeling that you need to put all your eggs in one basket.
By international standards, a high proportion of young people over 18 here go on to university. Since Northern Ireland needs to develop a labour force ready to deliver on higher skills and take up jobs calling for knowledge economy expertise, a larger flow from an increasing proportion of the upcoming generation taking advantage of third-level education should make a helpful contribution.
The 'meaningful' Brexit vote has taken place: it was rejected. There are many issues still to be decided and urgent arrangements to be made which were anticipated in the draft withdrawal agreement which Westminster has failed to approve.
We stand on the threshold of a huge change to our economy and society but we still do not know exactly what form that could take, how fast it could happen and how big a change it may be.
Civil servants are now in charge, in the absence of ministers. They face dilemmas. Do they want to show how well they can make the economy and public services perform? Or do they have a duty to show the evidence of damage because there are no ministers?
Retailers as well as the public are being failed by the lack of an Executive here
At the beginning of a new year, the question most asked of economists is what does the next 12 months have in store for the economic, political and business environment?
From Tuesday, the price of a meal or a coffee in the Republic should be going up a little as the old 9% Vat rate, in place for several years, ends as the full 13.5% rate kicks in.
The Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) faced a crisis where its members could have lost a large part of their savings deposits in 2008 when the value of the society's assets fell sharply because of the fall in property prices. An untidy and uncomfortable wind-up looked likely as members tried to redeem their funds faster than assets could be realised.
Neil Gibson, Chief economist, EY Ireland: Normally I try to be positive when looking ahead - history tells us that the ingenuity of firms and adaptability of the economy usually sees us through even the toughest of times.
After the home festivities of Christmas Day, Boxing Day is, for the big stores and many of the others, a vital retailing opportunity. We, the ordinary customers, are the target. But will we escape a shopping punishment, or end up with bargains that, on reflection, may not actually have been useful 'buys'.
The 'backstop' proposals emerged as an answer to worries that Brexit would disrupt business across the island of Ireland. The high level political ambition, easily accepted, was that there should be a frictionless border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Anne Hegerty's appearance on this year's I'm a Celebrity has provided a valuable and sympathetic insight into autism. Like Anne (below)- best known as The Governess on TV quiz show The Chase - many people with autism aren't diagnosed until later in life. That means that many have grown up without any understanding of their condition or support on how to manage it. Social isolation and bullying can follow, which may result in difficulties getting, or integrating, into the workplace.
Every year, a couple of weeks before Christmas, the UK statistics body - the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - publishes the latest figures on the size of the whole economy as well as the size of the regional economies.
The epic battle for Irish Distillers, then the monopoly producer of Irish whiskey, finally drew to a close 30 years ago this month with Pernod Ricard defeating GrandMet (now part of Diageo).
As a senior director in Allstate NI, one of the biggest companies in Northern Ireland, I get some strange looks when I meet people and tell them my burning ambition is to find a unicorn and that I think Northern Ireland is the best place in the world to do it.
In Paris in 2015, more than 100 countries, including all the main western European nations, signed up to a commitment to take action to reduce global warming, mainly by reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The economic analysis of the options currently under consideration, published yesterday, is a competent, professional report that deserves to be taken seriously.
The American sports commentator Yogi Berra once said prediction is difficult because it is about the future. Bearing that in mind, and the perceived failures of economic forecasters, here are considerations relating to three possible scenarios:
The ability to keep sufficient, sustainable and competitive electricity supplies for businesses and households in Northern Ireland recently came under threat from the unexpected clash between the Regulator and electricity generator AES, owner of Kilroot and Ballylumford power stations.
There is no doubt that the draft Withdrawal Agreement is a welcome step forward for the majority of businesses in NI and it is definitely much better than a no-deal scenario. Our trading firms will be paying close attention to what happens next.
The CBI, along with all other business representatives across NI and civic society, have over the last week voiced our broad support for the Prime Minister's EU Withdrawal Agreement, which, if signed off by the UK, allows us to move on to the real negotiations around future trade. There have been 20 months of negotiations since Article 50 was triggered. What we have on the table now is a compromise withdrawal deal that while not perfect, is a step forward.
It was a long time coming, but after months of talks, UK and EU negotiators finally reached a draft Brexit withdrawal agreement on November 14. And on Sunday, the European Council endorsed both the agreement and a political declaration setting out the high level framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
One way to consider the impact of yesterday's announcement is to start with a focus on the individual and then move out to the wider Northern Ireland economy and then the world aerospace sector.
The loss of another 490 jobs at Bombardier Belfast comes as an unwelcome decision as part of an overall restructuring programme in different parts of the Bombardier international organisation.
The supply of construction materials is essential to so many sectors within our Northern Ireland economy, particularly housebuilding, farming, transport - and of course new infrastructure for indigenous business and inward investors.
The policy experts, thinking ahead for the area within the boundaries of Belfast city, have published early draft plans about how the city might look by 2035. These proposals will have even longer-term repercussions.
The collapse of construction giant Carillion earlier this year with debts of £1.5bn really put into sharp focus the precarious nature that the construction sector supply chain can find themselves in through no fault of their own, even when there is a perception that things are relevantly buoyant in Northern Ireland.
Tissues at the ready, the winter flu season is upon us. Let the synchronised sniffling commence as employees cough and sputter towards the office Christmas party. More and more of us are weathering our seasonal viruses, braving the glares of neighbouring colleagues and turning up to work when we're unwell.
There is still a massive amount of uncertainty surrounding Brexit and its implication for businesses in the UK. In the context of commercial leases, one interesting case is the ongoing saga between the Canary Wharf Group and the European Medicines Agency.
This has been one of the most challenging Economy Watch issues to write. I was going to discuss the worrying signs of economic concern popping up across the globe and what that tells us about the economic outlook. Events, however, make that feel like a worry for another day.
The positive opinions of senior representatives of the business community on the prospects for a Brexit deal are an important corrective to the easy but misleading voices of the politicians.
Prime Minister Theresa May has worked hard to get the Brexit negotiations to the point where there is enough agreement to launch a proposed deal in Parliament. The EU negotiators have given some ground to keep alive the hope that, eventually, a new relationship for the UK with the EU (of 27 states) can be agreed.
It's not unusual to hear people who work in the digital and technology world refer to the tech "community" when speaking about the industry they work in.
The UK Budget was deceptive. To individual taxpayers, the increase in personal allowances and the absence of major new taxes on drink and petrol, combined to create a sense of relief. The other parts of the Budget contained more painful messages.
The economic narrative across the UK and Northern Ireland continues to be dominated by ongoing Brexit uncertainty as to what the future trading relationship with the EU may look like.
Over the last number of weeks there has been increasing discussion over what the United Kingdom's immigration policy will be once it leaves the European Union.
International Day of the Girl, celebrated earlier this month, highlighted that a staggering 98 million adolescent girls around the world are not in the education system. There was a rally of support globally from celebrities who used their voice to highlight this issue.
Tent cities. Long lines for food. People in rags. The mentally ill cast adrift on streets. No, this is isn't the plot for a Cormac McCarthy novel: it's what you see in San Francisco. Or that's what it was like last month. And every time I've been there in the last five years.
Next week taxpayers will be focused on Philip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he makes his annual statement of taxation, spending and borrowing in 2019-20.
This week I am leading a delegation of organisations from Northern Ireland, including councils, businesses, universities and colleges, to the city of Dalian in the Chinese Province of Liaoning for the fourth UK-China Regional Leaders Summit.
Over the last year, I have written about and commented extensively on the growth that has been taking place in the hotel sector. In Belfast it was impossible to miss the expansion, given the number of cranes dominating the skyline.
The Northern Ireland economy is currently experiencing a period of modest economic growth, restrained by a squeeze on consumers and Brexit-related uncertainty negatively affecting business investment. However, while we have seen relatively low growth rates in the last couple of years, it is important to note that the local economy is in a better position now than it was at the start of this decade.
The Supreme Court has given its long-awaited decision in the so-called “gay cake” case, ruling unanimously that Ashers Bakery did not discriminate against gay rights activist Gareth Lee, who had been successful in the County Court and then at the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
There are no devolved, locally appointed ministers. There is even a growing suspicion that the Secretary of State is (too) passive on the need for policy initiatives. The search is on to find an authorised decision-making procedure that will make some critical decisions so long as they fall short of what might be termed 'direct rule'.
A Co Down school is ready to stand strong over a threat to its future.
Yesterday the Irish Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced what is likely to be the final budget under the confidence-and-supply agreement.
