Finance
Irish consumer sentiment drops to near two-year low in July
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 25, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 25, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Irish consumer sentiment hit a near two-year low in July, driven by cost of living concerns and potential EU tariffs. This contrasts with sentiment improvements in other regions.
DUBLIN (Reuters) -Irish consumer sentiment fell to a near two-year low in July as concerns about the cost of living and tariffs on European Union exports to the U.S. weighed, a survey showed on Friday.
The Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey slipped to 59.1 in July from 62.5 in June, nearing April's two-year low of 58.7. The reading is below the 70.5 level posted in July 2024 and far lower than the long-term survey average of 83.9.
The drop in Irish sentiment contrasted with improvements elsewhere. Consumer sentiment in the U.S. returned to its best level for five months in July, while consumer confidence in the euro zone also increased slightly this month.
The components in the Irish survey that focused on household finances and spending were notably weaker, which its authors said likely reflects cost-of-living concerns and government hints that there will be fewer offsetting measures in October's budget.
The threat of a 30% tariff on EU exports to the U.S. also weighed, despite positive domestic economic data, including robust tax revenues and job creation.
Ireland is among the countries most exposed to President Donald Trump's sweeping economic policies, with a significant proportion of employment, tax receipts and exports dependent on a cluster of mainly tech and pharmaceutical U.S. multinational companies.
(Reporting by Graham Fahy, editing by Padraic Halpin)
The Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey index fell to 59.1 in July from 62.5 in June.
Concerns about the cost of living and potential tariffs on EU exports to the U.S. contributed to the decline.
The drop in Irish sentiment contrasts with improvements in the U.S. and euro zone, where consumer confidence has increased.
Ireland is significantly affected by President Donald Trump's economic policies, impacting employment, tax receipts, and exports.
The survey indicated notably weaker components focusing on household finances and spending, reflecting cost-of-living concerns.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
