Manufacturing output up again

THERE was good news for Irish manufacturers yesterday as a survey of output and new business orders showed conditions continued to improve during December.

The monthly Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which is published by NCB stockbrokers, registered increased demand and greater output in the manufacturing sector for the fourth month in a row.

The rate of improvement was slightly lower than the previous month but was still the second-highest monthly jump since July 2002.