Still holding on to funds

IRELAND has one of the fastest economic growth rates in the EU, but the latest KBC/ESRI economic sentiment index found just one in four people see their finances improving.

It says there is ‘greater caution about household finances and spending plans’, and that the details are ‘consistent with an improving economy, but only modest income gains’.

Growth for last year is tipped to hit 5%, compared to an EU average of 2.7%. Further growth of 4.2% is forecast for this year. The index is sitting at 105.2 for February – down from January’s 17-year high of 110.4, but up on the 100.7 reading a year ago.