Northern Ireland companies experienced unprecedented sales of £10 billion sterling last year, new export data show. However, the region is set to suffer up to 2,500 planned job losses in the coming months, the North's economy minister has warned.

Latest manufacturing sales and exports figures show that Northern Ireland's manufacturing companies currently export around £20 million of goods every day - an increase of 8 per cent in total sales since 1999/2000.

But while the growth in exports, despite currency and cost pressures, paint a positive picture of the Northern Ireland economy, there remains underlying concern about further job losses in traditional sectors such as textiles.

Commenting on the export results, Sir Reg Empey, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, said: "Over the last eight years the share of sales accounted for by markets outside Northern Ireland has increased steadily.

"Exports, sales outside the UK, also continue to expand. We have seen a rise of some 14 per cent in the last year, demonstrating the benefits to be gained from greater penetration of export markets by local firms." The figures show that most of the growth in external sales has been driven by a small number of larger firms such as Bombardier Aerospace, the North's largest employer, which yesterday opened a new £9 million expansion at its composite material facility in Dunmurry.

The latest unemployment statistics for Northern Ireland show there was no change in the number of people claiming unemployment benefits last month.

A total of 40,000 people or 5.1 per cent of the workforce in the North are receiving some form of unemployment support, according to the most recent statistics.

However, the total number of people unemployed in the North is registered at 46,000 or 6.2 per cent under the International Labour Organisation definition. This represents a decrease of 5,000 people on the total seasonally adjusted rate in the same period last year and a fall of 1,000 people since the last quarter.