Ireland's manufacturing output declined in December, according to new data released this morning.
The NCB manufacturing PMI index remained unchanged at 48.8 last month, below the 50 mark which separates growth from contraction. However, output at Irish manufacturing firms contracted marginally in December at 49.8, compared to 51.8 in November.
The decline in output largely reflected the fragility of the wider Irish economy, NCB said.
New orders, driven by new export orders, expanded for the second month in a row reflecting the growing momentum in global economic activity.
Employment continues to be a major drag on the PMI index, falling for the twenty-fifth month in a row to 45.4, albeit at the slowest rate of decline since May 2008.
