Manufacturing activity down nearly 16% in October

Manufacturing activity rose marginally in October on the previous the month but was down year on year.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show factory production increased by 0.1 per cent in October but was down 15.9 per cent on the same month last year.

The figures, which are notoriously volatile, coincide with the introduction of Level 5 restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus in late October.

They show industrial production in manufacturing industries for the three months to October was 6.8 per cent lower than in the preceding three-month period.

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The “modern” sector, which includes the State’s giant pharma sector, showed a monthly increase in production of 0.6 per cent and an annual decrease of 16.7 per cent when compared with October 2019.

There was a monthly increase of 2.1 per cent in the “traditional” sector and an annual decrease of 2.3 per cent,

Trade figures show goods exports have held up strongly despite a global downturn, reflecting increased demand for pharma and medical products during the pandemic.