Just back from two excellent days at Accountex UK 2025, and as always, the value came not just from the headline topics but from the opportunity to step out of the day-to-day and reflect on where our profession is headed and what that means for how we support businesses.

As we step into 2024, understanding the economic landscape becomes crucial for businesses and individuals alike. We look at the anticipated economic patterns affecting Ireland and the broader global market, based on insights from various expert analyses and forecast reports.

In the world of economics and finance, interest rates are often viewed as the pulse that gauges the health of an economy. Their current structure and cost undoubtedly have a profound influence on economic growth. When we consider the landscape today, one can't help but ponder the long-term ramifications of persistent high interest rates, especially given the vast deficits that many nations carry on their ledgers.

Recently there were a multitude of intriguing discussions surrounding the always-fascinating topic of interest rates. Lisbon, Portugal played host to a meeting of the minds, attracting an array of esteemed individuals from the European Central Banking circles, all gathered to dissect and predict the movement of interest rates.

Ireland was named the third most competitive economy among the 64 measured in the 2023 World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR). It's an impressive feat, a testament to the tireless work of all individuals operating within Ireland's business ecosystem, and certainly a news item that deserved more attention than it received.

A very interesting week ahead as Ireland’s economic outlook remains subject to uncertainty due to trade developments related to the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. Furthermore, the performance of multinational corporations could swing growth in either direction.