Extreme stress warning, French resolve and woods for the trees

Irish businesses are facing into a period of "extreme stress" due to the continued fallout from the coronavirus crisis and Brexit, the National Competitiveness Council has warned, writes Charlie Taylor.

The Covid-19 pandemic appears to have strengthened French resolve to achieve fiscal harmonisation in Europe, with possible far-reaching consequences for the Irish economy. Lara Marlowe reports from Paris.

Irish solar energy specialist BNRG has struck new electricity-supply deals in the US state of Maine, boosting its total investment there to €250 million. Barry O'Halloran reports.

The number of mortgage applications approved last month rose by 14.1 per cent compared to July, and was up 11 per cent year-on-year, new figures show. Charlie Taylor reports.

FinCEN Files: Dublin-listed fund sent $23m to firm suspected of links to Russian crime boss

---

Businesses see revenues fall even as economy reopens

---

Balancing Irish boards, Perrigo’s restructuring and businesses struggle to recover from pandemic

---

Hostelworld chief financial officer TJ Kelly to step down

---

Ireland's electricity grid needs urgent investment to handle the increasing number of green energy projects due to begin generating power in coming years, a leading industry figure warned. Barry O'Halloran has the details.

Caveat warns us that the Covid-19 crisis is becoming a zero-sum game beween the safety of the old and the future of the young.

In Agenda, Colm Keena finds that the FinCen leaksreveal the task facing financial regulators.

John FitzGerald argues that we are in danger of losing the woods for the trees.

In Planet Business, Laura Slattery crunches the week's numbers and parse the week's news so you don't have to.

Olive Keogh tells us that managers who rely heavily on large-group video calls are failing to communicate amid a steep learning curve.

Budget 2021 is looming, so catch up with all the news, comment and analysis on our dedicated site..

"Some people called it brave. A lot of people called it stupid too!" That's what coffee shop owner Ger O'Donohoe tells Ciarán Hancock on this week'sInside Businesspodcast about his decision to open a second business in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Applications for The Irish Times Innovation Awardsfor 2020 are now invited. The awards will recognise innovations and bright ideas brought to market between January 1st, 2019 and May 30th of this year, across five categories. It's free to enter so check it out .

For all information on the Top 1000 Irish companies go to irishtimes.com/top1000.

Stay up to date with all our business news: sign up to our business news alerts.