A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Fewer jobs but higher wages in finance area

Employment fell in the financial services sector in the last quarter of 2005, but average earnings were up 4.2 per cent year-on-year, according to latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Between September and December of last year the number of jobs for banking, insurance and building societies fell by 500. But the number of jobs in the sector last December was still 2,700 higher than a year previously.

Taro to invest €8m in Tipperary plant

Taro Pharmaceutical Ireland Ltd has announced plans to invest $10 million (€8 million) in its Tipperary plant. Managing director Michael Buckley said the company was developing a new research and development facility.

The investment would be spent on modifying part of the existing plant to give the company the capability of researching and developing an additional broad range of products in Roscrea.

Getmobile reveals profits of €1.34m

Getmobile Europe has announced pretax profits of €1.34 million for the six months to December 31st, 2005, a period that incorporates five months trading from Getmobile AG, its German subsidiary.

At year end the company had cash and deposits of €6.59 million and no debt. Getmobile Europe also announced profits before interest and tax of €4.9 million for its German subsidiary for the year .

Five routes added to Ryanair base

Ryanair has announced five new routes from its Shannon base.

The new destinations are Biarritz, Carcassonne, Faro, Krakow and Venice. Increased frequencies will also be implemented on routes to Barcelona, Malaga and Milan. The new routes will start on October 12th.

Interest rates will rise, says B of I

Interest rates will rise by a further three quarters of a per cent, Bank of Ireland Chief Economist Dan McLaughlin has predicted. In the bank's latest monthly Bulletin, Dr McLaughlin says that the European Central Bank (ECB) will increase rates at the next May meeting of its Governing Council.

Vislink announces surge in profits

UK-based electronics group Vislink, which is quoted on the Irish stock market, has announced operating profits of £8.35 million (€12 million) as part of its preliminary results for 2005 - an increase of 227 per cent on 2004.

The company supplies microwave radio and satellite transmission products for the broadcast and security markets and CCTV systems for the marine security market.