Opinion
Regular articles providing commentary and analysis on the major issues impacting the global, UK and Northern Ireland economies.
My name is Conor Lambe and I am the Chief Economist at Danske Bank.
I am responsible for the Bank’s economic analysis and forecasts, write regular opinion articles for the Northern Irish media and frequently speak at local business events.
Economic analysis is a useful tool for many businesses. It can help you to understand what is driving the performance of the economy and whether current trends are likely to continue, as well as what the implications could mean for your business.
2021 opinion articles
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14.12.2021
Year in review: the Northern Ireland economy in 2021
By Conor Lambe, Chief Economist at Danske Bank As we head towards the end of this year, I think we can...
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29.11.2021
Housing market update: Strong growth in prices observed again in 2021 Q3
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31.08.2021
Rising costs could lead to bumpy road ahead
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31.08.2021
Housing market update: Prices continued to rise in 2021 Q2
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01.06.2021
Why a policy focus on innovation is a positive development
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12.04.2021
There is some hope that the economic recovery may soon be about to restart
2020 opinion articles
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08.12.2020
Year in review: the Northern Ireland economy in 2020
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06.10.2020
Five things to note from Danske Bank’s latest Quarterly Sectoral Forecasts
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26.05.2020
Why businesses need to start thinking about Brexit again
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03.03.2020
Why productivity must be at the heart of a future NI Economic Strategy
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14.01.2020
Five things you need to know from Danske Bank’s latest Quarterly Sectoral Forecasts
2019 opinion articles
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17.12.2019
Year in review: the Northern Ireland economy in 2019
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03.12.2019
Economic figures paint a mixed picture for local consumers and businesses
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12.11.2019
Boosting Northern Ireland's levels of competitiveness requires big effort
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29.10.2019
Political uncertainty continues to weigh on consumer confidence levels
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01.10.2019
Five things to note from Danske Bank’s latest Quarterly Sectoral Forecasts
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27.08.2019
UK economy to come under pressure as Brexit looms in just two months
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30.07.2019
Confidence falls as negative factors outweigh the positives for local people
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02.07.2019
Northern Ireland's economic growth to remain underwhelming
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11.06.2019
Entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland can learn much from US
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14.05.2019
First quarter UK GDP data - what does it actually mean for us?
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16.04.2019
Weaker global growth could be a challenge for Northern Ireland exporters
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26.03.2019
Reality and pragmatism urgently needed in this chaotic Brexit process
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05.03.2019
Northern Ireland should see house prices rise again in 2019
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29.01.2019
Where the Brexit process may end up leading
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08.01.2019
What 2019 could hold in store for the Northern Ireland economy
2018 opinion articles
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18.12.2018
A year in review: the Northern Ireland economy in 2018
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27.11.2018
PM's draft agreement is a positive step to avoid no-deal Brexit
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20.11.2018
The good, the bad and the ugly in the latest economic data
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13.11.2018
Political uncertainty, inflation and Brexit dent consumer confidence
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16.10.2018
Why I believe Northern Ireland economy is in better shape than in 2010
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09.10.2018
Five things you need to know from Danske Bank’s latest Quarterly Sectoral Forecasts
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02.10.2018
High inflation continues to take its toll on UK consumers
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11.09.2018
Young people of Northern Ireland have the drive to solve many issues
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04.09.2018
A ‘no deal’ Brexit would be bad news for everyone
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07.08.2018
More to do on Brexit White Paper proposals, but backstop remains the key issue
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31.07.2018
Political uncertainty, inflation and Brexit dent consumer confidence
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31.07.2018
How consumer confidence differs across society
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26.06.2018
Rows over a Brexit backstop hampering real talks progress
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26.06.2018
Tourism remains a bright spot for the Northern Ireland economy
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05.06.2018
Interest rates could still rise this year despite risks posed by Brexit
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22.05.2018
A sectoral lens on Northern Ireland’s productivity problem
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01.05.2018
2018 started with a sharp rise in consumer confidence
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17.04.2018
Modest growth ahead for the Northern Ireland economy
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10.04.2018
Our international reputation score is good, but could be even better
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27.03.2018
Despite transition plan, don’t take foot off gas when it comes to Brexit
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23.03.2018
Strong global economy provides opportunities for local exporters
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20.03.2018
Spring Statement and OBR forecasts reveal UK stuck in a low growth environment
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13.02.2018
5 things you need to know about Danske Bank's latest NI Consumer Confidence Index
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06.02.2018
Why a customs union agreement with the EU may be our best option
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23.01.2018
Economic growth in the UK and Northern Ireland to remain subdued in 2018
2017 opinion articles
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19.12.2017
Moving on to the next phase of Brexit talks is a positive step, but now things are going to get really difficult
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12.12.2017
Low productivity and high inactivity are key challenges facing the NI labour market
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05.12.2017
Productivity growth is crucial for UK and NI economic prospects
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30.11.2017
A Brexit transition period would benefit exporters, but it must be used in the right way
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21.11.2017
The UK Government must agree to pay more and move the Brexit talks on to trade and transition
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07.11.2017
UK interest rates rise to 0.5 per cent, but future rises will be gradual
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31.10.2017
Politics, inflation and Brexit are the main reasons behind the fall in consumer confidence
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17.10.2017
A hard Brexit could have implications for the NI housing market
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10.10.2017
NI tops the table for personal well-being, but our overall quality of life could be even higher
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03.10.2017
Danske Bank’s latest economic forecasts – 5 things you need to know
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05.09.2017
UK growth lagging behind other advanced economies as Brexit impacts take their toll
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05.09.2017
UK unemployment is at an historic low, so why aren't wages rising faster?
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08.08.2017
Consumer confidence falls in July
