Munster firms scale back near-term expectations

Munster-based companies scaled back their near-term expectations for business activity and their hiring plans, last month, albeit to a lesser extent than firms in other regions of the country, according to data from Bank of Ireland.

“Sentiment was down in Munster and the rest of Ireland in November, as developments abroad and at home, over the past few months, took their toll,” according to Bank of Ireland’s group chief economist Dr Loretta O’Sullivan.

The bank’s latest monthly ‘economic pulse’ for Munster shows a slight 2.3 point drop to a reading of 86.2 for November.