More good cheer for manufacturing sector

THERE was more good news for manufacturers yesterday as conditions in the sector improved for the eighth month in a row in April.

The monthly Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which measures the health of the manufacturing industry, was 53.9 during the month.

This was comfortably ahead of the key 50.0 mark that marks the difference between a positive and negative climate, but behind the 54.4 recorded in March.