Confidence grows in manufacturing

THE manufacturing and services sectors are becoming more confident in future prospects with an increase in employment levels anticipated in the coming months, according to the latest KPMG Business Outlook Survey.

The Irish services sector in particular has seen a massive boost in confidence in the survey, which works on a net balance basis, with the percentage of respondents feeling more pessimistic about their company’s outlook in 12 months’ time deducted from the percentage feeling more optimistic about the future.

Last October the services sector business activity figure was +22.4 points but jumped to +40.8 by February.