‘Serious questions’ for ESB; Goodman’s new board; and what next for Brown Thomas?

State-owned ESB and the Government must answer "serious questions" on rapidly rising electricity prices, independent power suppliers say. Barry O'Halloran reports that a new group founded by three energy companies is claiming some power prices charged by ESB this year have been inexplicably high.

Businessman Larry Goodman (84) has set up a supervisory board over his beef-to-property empire, putting his eldest son in a key succession position, writes Joe Brennan. The move puts order over the long-term direction of the Goodman family's interests.

Irish people spent almost €260 million a day on their credit and debit cards last month, the largest amount since Covid struck in March 2020, according to figures cited in a new economic outlook from Davy. Barry O'Halloran has details of the research, which pencils in a 7.6 per cent rise in GDP for next year.

With Irishinflation at a 20-year high, Eoin Burke-Kennedy asks what we might expect to happen to the cost of living in the near future. The world is divided into two camps, with wages a key variable in the debate, he explains.

American Airlines drops Shannon flights to Philadelphia

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European shares end lower as IMF warns on cost of pandemic

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Christmas smartphone options that won’t break the bank

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Housing squeeze not going away for buyers, and could get worse for renters

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American Airlines said it was pulling its transatlantic link from Shannon, dealing a serious blow to the airport. Áine Kenny has more on that story.

Mark Paul takes a close look at the likely future of Brown Thomas and Arnotts as the upscale retailers edge closer to new ownership under the Thai Central Group. He profiles the colourful Italian retailer who is at the heart of the Thai group's bid for the businesses and asks what he might create in Dublin.

And in Mark's Caveat column, he considers vaccine passes, acknowledging that they were useful in allowing society to reopen but also wondering what the exit strategy from the policy might be.

In his column, John FitzGerald looks back 100 years and reflects on a couple of key economic victories secured by the fledgling Irish State as it grew into its new relationship with the UK.

In our Work section, Olive Keogh looks at what employers have been doing to stay connected to employees working from home during this ever-lengthening Covid period. She profiles GrowBoxes, a range of vegetable, herb and salad starter kits that are delivered to employees' doors and are aimed at encouraging them to grow some of their own food.

And finally, this week's Wild Goose is LA-based Gemma Stafford, a chef, cookbook author and host of an online baking show. The Wexford native says says global lockdowns helped her business to expand as the world discovered a love for banana bread.

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