Manufacturing sees strong growth despite uncertainty

Manufacturers noted a boost from rising sales to US clients, but this was offset by reports of weak demand across the UK and eurozone.

The Irish manufacturing sector saw the fastest pace of growth in 12 months during February, but there continues to be a “softness in external demand” — particularly when it comes to the EU.

According to the latest AIB Ireland Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index, Irish firms recorded a sustained rebound in production volumes in February — resulting in a reading of 51.9 last month, compared to the 51.3 recorded in January.