Rise in jobs as factory sector on the up

Conditions in the manufacturing sector improved for the ninth month in a row with an increase in employment and new orders during November, according to the NCB Purchasing Managers’ Index.

“Business conditions continued to improve in the Irish manufacturing sector during November, though there were slower rises in output and new orders.

“Firms raised both employment and purchasing activity in response to greater workloads. However, companies had to use price discounting to support growth of new business as demand remained fragile,” said NCB.