UP AND AWAY The US and EU reached a tentative deal on Friday towards concluding the longawaited Open Skies agreement that will spell bad news perhaps for the Shannon stopover but the sighs of relief for Aer Lingus HQ could be heard all the way from Liberty Hall, where trade union supremos debated their next move after strike action was averted earlier in the week at Aer Lingus.

HOUSE PRICESwere static in January, according to research released last week by Permanent TSB and the ESRI. Interest rate hikes by the ECB were said to have an effect. But if Jim Power of Friends First is correct there may be as many as five more rate hikes in store.

Hold on to your wallets.

Readymix posted pretax profits of Euro42.6m on Friday, an increase of 32% on 2005.

Consumers reported that their self-esteem needed a little lift. Some 60% of Irish consumers expect unemployment to rise in the next 12 months, putting confidence at its lowest in three years. Some commentators blamed the media for being too darned negative, by actually reporting all those job losses at multinationals like Motorola and Pfizer.