Services sector firms see sharpest rise in five years

Business activity among services companies has seen its sharpest October rise in five years, according to the latest NCB Services Index.

The reading shows the index had risen to 56.1 by the end of October, which is a significant increase on the 53.0 recorded at the end of September.

The October increase was the third consecutive month of growth and the largest rise over the month of October in five years.