October sector boost

THE economy received a welcome boost from the manufacturing sector this morning, which grew for the eighth month in a row and at the fastest rate in three months.

Orders from abroad rebounded following a September dip, results from the NCB Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) survey showed this morning.

The first signs of growth in Ireland's export-reliant economy emerged last year and the country is expected to post very modest growth again this year.

Manufacturing activity has grown every month since February, climbing to 52.1 in October from 51.8 in September.

Any figure above 50 signals growth.