Activity in the Irish services sector increased at its strongest rate for six months in September as cost pressures eased, the latest AIB Ireland services PMI shows.
While growth in new business and employment moderated from August to below their long-term trends, outstanding work increased solidly and the 12-month outlook has rebounded.
Activity across all four sub-sectors increased month-on-month, led by technology, media & telecoms, and input price inflation declined to a 43-month low, although prices charged by service providers continued to rise strongly.
The overall index gave a reading of 55.7 in September, up from 53.8 in August and well ahead of the 50.0 no-change market, indicating a strong increase in service sector activity.
The pace of expansion was the second-fastest in the past 14 months after March 2024 (56.6) and above the long-run series average since 2000 of 55.1.
The current expansionary sequences have now extended to three years and seven months.
“The AIB …