Pensions regulator to bare teeth, Greencore’s HQ move, and big isn’t always better when buying engagement ring

The best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk


Workplace pension schemes that have failed to act on new industry rules by the end of this year will face strong action from the regulator, industry figures anticipate. Dominic Coyle has the details.

Irish convenience food group Greencore has inked a deal for a new office headquarters at Dublin Airport Central, a move that will mark a return to the campus for its chief executive Dalton Philips, who was previously head of State-owned airport operator DAA. Ronald Quinlan reports.

With many people planning to pop the question to their loved one this Christmas, Brianna Parkins asks some leading jewellers for advice on buying a diamond engagement ring, one of the biggest financial decisions in a person’s life. How much should you spend? Natural or Lab grown stone? Cash or card?

Does Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary deserve that €100m bonus? FT columnist Chris Bryant thinks so and explains here why the airline’s CEO deserves the payment.

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Hamilton Beach Brands, a US seller of home appliances from air fryers to clothes irons, has emerged as the preferred bidder for embattled Irish medical technology company HealthBeacon, which filed for court protection from its creditors in late October. Joe Brennan reports.

Consumer spending was up 8 per cent year on year between January and November, according to card transaction data from AIB. Among the nuggets, some 67 per cent of pub spending this year was by men, while women accounted for 82 per cent of spending so far this year on hair salons, barbers and beauticians. And Black Friday as the biggest spending day of the lot, writes Ellen O’Regan.

Irish consumers are wary about retailers using generative artificial intelligence to personalise their shopping experiences but are more likely to welcome it adopted by a store they know and trust. Ian Curran has the details.

Looking for some last minute gifts? Ciara O’Brien reviews some tech-related fitness options.

DAA will have to wait another three months before getting a decision from the CCPC competition watchdog on whether it can proceed with its purchase of 6,100 car parking spaces beside Dublin Airport. Barry O’Halloran reports.

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