Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 3, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleIreland's services sector growth hit a three-year high in November, driven by new business and export orders. Financial services led the expansion.
DUBLIN, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A rebound in Ireland's services sector accelerated at its fastest pace in three-and-a-half years in November, with growth driven by increased gains in current activity and new business, a survey showed on Wednesday.
The AIB Ireland Services Business Activity Index climbed to 58.5 in November from 56.7 in October, the fastest rate of growth in the sector since May 2022. PMI readings above 50 indicate growth in activity.
The biggest expansion was in financial services, followed by technology, media and telecoms. Transport, tourism and leisure saw the first increase in activity since February.
New business growth accelerated for the fourth consecutive month, reaching the highest level since April 2022. This was supported by a rise in new export orders, with all four subsectors posting increases for the first time since January.
Jobs were created at the fastest rate since March despite a reduction in staffing levels in TMT for the third time in four months.
The pace of inflation for input costs remains high but has eased from the six-month high posted in September. Service providers increased charges at the fastest rate since January, passing on the higher costs to customers.
The outlook for the next 12 months improved, with expectations reaching the highest level since February, as firms anticipate increased demand and planned business investments.
(Reporting by Graham Fahy; Editing by Joe Bavier)
The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) is an economic indicator that reflects the prevailing direction of economic trends in manufacturing and service sectors. A PMI above 50 indicates expansion, while below 50 indicates contraction.
Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power. It is typically measured annually and can impact economic growth.
Business investment refers to the purchase of goods and services by businesses to enhance their operations, including capital expenditures on equipment, buildings, and technology.
New business orders refer to the total number of orders received by a company for products or services during a specific period, indicating demand and future revenue potential.
Job creation refers to the process of generating new employment opportunities within an economy, often driven by business expansion, new investments, or economic growth.
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