Fears for Aer Lingus jobs, the HSE’s Covid-19 app and the elusive ‘exit strategy’

Fears are growing for jobs at Aer Lingus as British Airways moves to lay off 12,000 workers in the expectation that the Covid-19 crisis will inflict long-term damage on aviation. Barry O'Halloran reports.

Insurance Ireland was advised by lawyers in Arthur Cox last week that a move by member companies to sign up to providing premium reliefs for motor customers adhered to competition rules, as the industry bowed to Government pressure. Joe Brennan reports.

Last night ratings agency Standard & Poor's lowered its outlook on the credit ratings of AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB to "negative" as it eyes a rise in bad loan losses as economies grapple globally with the effects of the coronavirus crisis.

The completion of new homes in Ireland may fall by up to 40 per cent on last year's levels because of delays caused by coronavirus, according to a new report, writes Madeleine Lyons.

Managing expectations on Covid exit is the new challenge

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What will the Fed do next in the Covid-19 crisis?

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BOI outlines ‘grim’ state of the economy in sentiment survey

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Coronavirus: Central Bank warns of ‘amplified shock’ to SMEs

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Ciara O'Brien has more details on the HSE's long-awaited Covid-19 tracing app. She outlines how it will differ from UK or French counterparts.

While the app may help ease some of the lockdown restrictions, in his column this week Eoin Burke-Kennedy says even the term "exit strategy" is a complete misnomer. "Without a vaccine or a proven therapy there is no exit from coronavirus, only containment. And there is no settled strategy."

A High Court judge has refused to grant an order restraining the holding of a "closed" annual general meeting of the builders merchants and Woodies DIY Grafton Group plc today.

Digital giants including Facebook and Google could face new regulations under the incoming government, according to Broadcasting Authority of Ireland chief executive, Michael O'Keeffe. Barry O'Halloran reports.

In commercial property Ronald Quinlan writes that the European property firm, LRC Group, has increased the size of its Irish residential portfolio to nearly 1,900 properties, following the acquisition for ¤18 million of the Rathgar Road Collection.

Finally, Peter Hamilton reports on a new Irish study that shows 40 per cent of workers are "struggling" with remote working. The research lays bare the unpreparedness of most workers for home working, with almost 20 per cent working from their bed and one in two working from either a converted sitting room or kitchen.