Services sector ends year on a high

The country’s services sector finished 2015 on a considerable high with three times as many firms reporting an increase in business activity in December, against those posting a decline.

The latest services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) from specialist bank, Investec — seen as being the key barometer of the sector — shows a reading of 61.8 for December; well above the neutral 50 mark but down on November’s reading of 63.6.

However, November was the strongest month since June 2006 and December’s reading pushes the pattern of unbroken growth for the Irish services industry to three and a half years.