Manufacturing firms see production levels decrease

PRODUCTION levels among Irish manufacturing companies shrank in December, following a slight expansion in November, according to figures published yesterday.

The latest monthly manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) from NCB Stockbrokers showed an overall reading of 48.8 points for December, unchanged from November, but detailed a slight decrease in production levels.

“That decrease, according to NCB, “largely reflected the fragility of the wider Irish economy”.