Irish exporters top European confidence league

Ireland has surged to the top of the European pile in terms of confidence among its exporting firms, on the back of strong growth in key markets.

Confidence among Irish firms rose by two points to 119 in the second quarter of the year, according to HSBC’s latest Trade Confidence Index.

The improved trade outlook was driven largely by strong economic growth in traditional export markets such as the US and UK, but greater efforts must also be made to diversify into emerging markets to sustain the momentum garnered, the report recommends.