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The pace of expansion in Ireland’s manufacturing sector picked up in September, and hiring activity remained strong as firms benefited from an increase in new orders, S&P Global reported Wednesday. The AIB Ireland manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 51.8 in September, up slightly from 51.6 in August. A reading above the 50.0 neutral mark indicates an overall increase in business activity from the previous month, while a reading below signals a contraction. The latest figure represented the ninth consecutive month of expansion in the manufacturing sector. David McNamara, AIB chief economist, said: ‘The rise in September was driven by gains in new orders, employment and stock building, but current output growth stalled. ‘Output stagnated in September, with respondents citing more subdued demand conditions. This was also reflected in the continued fall in export orders, albeit total new orders growth accelerated, with new investments boosting demand overall.’ Whilst employment continued to expand for the tenth month in a row, the pace of growth eased as many firms reported a lack of suitable candidates to fill job vacancies. ‘Additional staff hiring was attributed to long-term business expansion plans and forthcoming new projects,’ S&P Global commented. Looking ahead, business optimism remained high, with 48% of those surveyed anticipating an increase in output over the next year. S&P Global compiles the PMI each month using survey responses from a panel of around 250 manufacturers. Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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