Irish manufacturing weathers second lockdown as output expands in November

Cork Harbour, Cork, Ireland. 26th November, 2020. Container vessel Aila leaves Cork Harbour on route to Dunkirk in France. This new service provides exporters with a direct link to the continent from Ireland and removes any fears of uncertainity with Brexit. Picture: David Creedon / Anzenberger

Irish manufacturing weathered the second lockdown to boost output and jobs in November, an encouraging sign that international demand is strengthening after the severe Covid-19 crisis, according to the latest purchasing managers' survey. 

The AIB Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) also showed that manufacturers were the most upbeat about their prospects since the onset of the crisis, although some of the growth may be down to stockpiling ahead of Brexit.