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Dublin: 11 °C Thursday 20 June, 2013

Davy revises projections for growth in Irish economy… upward

Here’s something you don’t see every day… someone suggesting the economy will grow by more than first predicted.

Image: patpitchaya via Shutterstock

STOCKBROKING FIRM DAVY has issued new projections for the Irish economy for 2013 – revealing it expects the economy to grow by more than it first expected.

The firm’s latest forecasts for the Irish economy, published this morning, include the projection that Ireland’s GDP – the total value of all goods and services produced here in 2013 – to rise by 1.3 per cent.

The forecast marks a significant improvement on the 0.9 per cent it had originally expected when it issued its last forecast in October.

The firm said its improved forecast was because the slowdown in the economy in the first half of 2012 was “shallower than previously thought”.

“In particular, investment spending was revised to 10 per cent year-on-year growth in [the third quarter of] 2012, the strongest rise in capital expenditure for many years,” it added, suggesting that foreign investment had come “on stream” in 2012 and was likely to continue to do so.

Davy also projects an increase in employment of 0.6 per cent this year – though that equates to a net gain of about 11,000 jobs, which would make little dent on the numbers out of work.

The news is not all positive, however: the firm expects the growth of Ireland’s export sector to fall back a bit, blaming the ‘patent cliff’ and the economic difficulty elsewhere in the Eurozone for the fall.

“A sharp decline in goods exports look likely,” it says, projecting that the fall in exports will take about 1 per cent off the total GDP that could have been achieved.

Read: Rehn: Budget 2014 should not be eased after promissory note savings

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Comments (20 Comments)

  • Yes!!
    We’re back baby!

    Reply
  • Fantastic news. Growth up and a year of net job growth predicted. Only a small step to taking down our massive unemployment rate but a step in the right direction nonetheless.

    I know we give the government a lot of stick on this website, but if they can achieve this in 2013, I’ll be very impressed.

    Reply
  • Great. They’ll be telling us house prices are on the up next….. Hang on!

    Reply
  • fergus 04/03/13 #

    Crystal ball gazing is not my thing,what excuse in six months time when the economy does my perform as expected,hence B S.

    Reply
  • Great news. FG are doing a bang up job despite all the tough decisions they have had to take.

    Reply
  • fergus 04/03/13 #

    B S

    Reply
  • duzB 04/03/13 #

    “Shallower than previously thought”? Sorry but more “spin” B S

    Reply
  • Another U-Turn.

    Just wait a few months there will be another.

    Reply
  • duzB 04/03/13 #

    The news is not all positive, however: the firm expects the growth of Ireland’s export sector to fall back a bit, blaming the ‘patent cliff’ and the economic difficulty elsewhere in the Eurozone for the fall.

    ‘patent cliff’? – Can anyone explain this?

    SPIN SPIN SPIN

    Reply
    • I think it’s cos some pharmaceutical products have come out of patent so there are now generic products that may be made elsewhere

      Reply
    • I imagine patent cliff refers to pharmaceutical companies which are so prevalent here suffering when patents expire on profits and margins fall off a cliff. As for spin- hardly in Davy’s interests to a). Admit an earlier forecast was wrong or b). have this forecast later revealed to be over optimistic. Hardly portrays them as experts. So they’d spin, why?

      Reply
    • duzB 04/03/13 #

      @Conor – Thank you for explanation
      @Kevin Thank you for explaining “patent cliff” but regarding Davy and a). Admit an earlier forecast was wrong – Quick Google search for “DAVY STOCKBROKER PRIDICTIONS 2008“ you will see that they never admit they are ever wrong but they “Revise” their forcasts?

      Davy Stockbrokers has revised downwards its forecast for growth in the Irish economy to 1.1pc in 2011 and 1.7pc next year.

      Mar 26, 2008 – If housing starts do not bottom in the second half of 2008, we will have to cut our 2009 forecast once more.” Davy also said …

      Mar 29, 2007 – Davy Stockbrokers has lowered its Irish economic growth forecast for this … Consumer spending growth

      But to be fair they also “Revise” on a positive spin as in
      “May 2007 Davy Stockbrokers have revised down their end-2008 unemployment forecast. Their exact words are:

      “In our last set of economic forecasts, we had the unemployment rate going to 6% by the end of 2008. That now seems too bearish and we expect the rate to be closer to 5%”.

      Interestingly, and unusually, Davy are forecasting a lower unemployment rate next year than is Brian Cowen.

      Davy also describe the labour market in Ireland as in ‘very solid shape’ and growth in employment as ‘very healthy’.

      Last week, Goodbody also forecast a 6% unemployment rate by the end of 2008, on which there is a thread on P.ie. I expect they too will revise their forecast down to around 5% in the near future.”

      So they were bang on the money on this one?

      Reply
    • The question ought to be asked : what did Davy predict in 2008 , 209 and 2010

      Reply
    • They also think the promissory note deal is worth €16 billion. Most respected economists were estimating that somewhere between €4 and 8 billion.

      I’ll be taking Davy’s forecasts with a pinch of salt, thanks.

      Reply
  • Rayven 04/03/13 #

    Another useless public sector quango full of fat cats on fat salaries making positive spin for their paymasters they been wrong so often it’s a joke at this stage Fianna Gael civil war politics has got to go this cycle of political party politics is ruining this nation

    Reply
  • Up, up and away in my beautiful balloon. All’s well. Life is good. Where can I get these drugs?

    Reply
  • fergus 04/03/13 #

    Nt typo

    Reply

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