In a new economic forecast presented today, Íslandsbanki bank predicts a GDP growth of 5.4 percent in Iceland this year, the highest one in a decade.
Economy
‘Kitchen Day Discussion’ in Parliament
In last night’s closing speeches before summer recess in Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament, MPs discussed the main events of the parliamentary session and stressed their policies.
Bank Boss Hails Low-Debt Growth
There is high demand for credit in the banking system in Iceland and levels of investment have increased, according to director of Íslandsbanki, Birna Einarsdóttir. She says that society finds itself in a very different place today than in 2007, before the banking crash.
Second Day of Decrease in Icelandic Stock Prices
Stock prices at NASDAQ OMX Iceland, the Iceland stock exchange, went down considerably today, for the second trading day in a row.
Iceland’s Balance of Payments Improves Greatly
Iceland’s balance of payments improved substantially in December.
Private Consumption Could Exceed that of 2007
Private consumption in Iceland this year is expected to exceed that of 2007, the year before the financial crisis.
Is Icelandic Government Split on Sanctions against Russia?
There appears to be disagreement within the Icelandic government regarding the support of Western sanctions against Russia.
Norway “Better Place to Live than Iceland”
Norway is the world’s best country to live in, according to the latest Human Development Index figures.
Central Bank Raises Interest Rates
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Iceland announced yesterday it would raise the bank’s interest rates by 0.25 percentage points.
Bright Times Ahead
“There are bright times ahead in the Icelandic economy.”
Will Capital Controls be Lifted?
The economic measures introduced by the government Wednesday are the largest ever in Icelandic history, according to Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson.
Building Ties without Ties
The Northern Future Forum opened today with a press conference at Grand Hotel, Reykjavik.
Left-Green: No to “Bank Breadcrumbs”
Chairperson of the Left-Green Movement Katrín Jakobsdóttir would like to see a “social bank” established in Iceland.
Benefits Increase More than Salaries
Benefit payments in Iceland have increased more than salaries over the last year. While salaries have increased by 6.1 percent, social security payments have gone up by 10 percent during the same period, according to Tímund, the newsletter of the Icelandic Directorate of Internal Revenue.
Poverty among Senior Citizens
Far too many senior citizens must get by with ISK 1,000 (USD 7.90, EUR 7.02) a day for food and medicine.
Creditors Will Pay ISK 120 Billion
At a meeting in Harpa concert hall today, the creditors of Kaupþing Bank agreed to pay ISK 120 billion (USD 937 million, EUR 839 million) in stability contribution in order to be exempt from capital controls.
Inflation Goes Down
The 12-month rate of inflation in Iceland now measures 1.9 percent, according to Statistics Iceland.
Iceland Hospital Jobs Popular in Britain and Spain
12 of 15 applicants for vacant radiologist posts at Reykjavík’s Landspítali hospital are from Spain or the UK. The X-ray department chief at the hospital says it is highly likely that at least some of them will start working at the hospital in the coming weeks.
Grímsey: Island in Trouble
The community of Grímsey, 40 km (25 miles) off the north coast of Iceland, faces a difficult situation.
Optimism and Upswing in All Sectors
Business directors’ assessment of the current employment situation is similar to what it was at the beginning of the financial boom in 2004, and their forecast for the next six months is better than what it was during the boom, between 2004 and 2007.
Icelandic Bank Welcomes Refugees
The analysis department at Arion Bank has released a report saying that welcoming a large number of refugees to Iceland would be a very extensive and expensive project, but that the long-term economic effect would be a positive one—adding that there is little to suggest that the move would cause...
Signs of Expansion and Brain Drain
Specialists see clear signs of expansion in the Icelandic economy.
Iceland’s GDP up by 5.2 Percent in First Half of 2015
Iceland’s GDP (gross domestic product) for the first two quarters of 2015 increased by 5.2 percent compared with the same period of 2014. Total domestic final expenditure increased by 7.3 percent, as Statistics Iceland reported this morning.
Central Bank of Iceland Raises Interest Rates
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Iceland has decided to raise the bank’s interest rates by 0.5 percentage points.
Iceland Most Expensive in Five out of Twelve Categories
Iceland ranked as most expensive in five of the 12 goods and services categories studied in 37 European countries, according to new figures from Eurostat. Clothes, shoes, household appliances, electronics and transportation services were all more expensive than elsewhere.