MICROSOFT IRISH 'ECO-SYSTEM' EMPLOYS 41,000 - The managing director of Microsoft Ireland, Paul Rellis, has given some estimates of the financial value of IT sector to the Irish economy Microsoft is launching its new Windows 7 operating system on October 22.
Paul Rellis said its research showed that what it calls the Microsoft 'eco-system' - which includes its partner companies - employed around 41,000 people in Ireland. He said that for every euro Microsoft would make in Ireland in 2009, around €9 would be made by local firms in the 'eco-system'.
Mr Rellis said areas such as software and IT innovation were the sectors in which Ireland should be investing.
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NO ECB RATES CHANGE EXPECTED - The ECB's main lending rate has been at 1% since May. Will the ECB leave it at that for a sixth month in a row? Ulster Bank chief economist Simon Barry said the bank was likely to do nothing on rates today.
He said the ECB remained cautious about the economic outlook, and was likely to reiterate this later today.
Mr Barry also said Ireland's annual inflation rate was likely to fall to minus 6% when figures were released from the CSO later today.
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CURRENCIES - On the currency markets, the euro is worth $1.4752 and 92.27p sterling.
