Ireland Manufacturing PMI October 2026
The AIB Ireland Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for October registered 55.2, a slight decline from September’s 55.5 and the lowest reading in the past three months, yet remaining well above the neutral 50.0 threshold that separates expansion from contraction.
Output growth remained solid but moderated compared with the four‑and‑a‑half‑year high recorded in September. Manufacturers cited rising customer demand and ongoing capacity upgrades as primary drivers.
New order volumes accelerated sharply, with both domestic and overseas clients increasing orders; export orders rose for the ninth consecutive month.
Employment rose to a three‑month high as firms responded to higher workloads and sought to expand operating capacity.
Input buying expanded at the fastest pace since May, and pre‑production inventories grew at the strongest rate since January 2023, reflecting efforts to build safety stocks amid supply‑chain disruptions and constrained transport capacity.
Input‑cost inflation surged to a four‑month high, driven chiefly by higher energy, fuel and raw‑material prices, while factory‑gate charges increased at the strongest pace since June as firms passed on higher transportation costs.
AIB chief economist David McNamara noted that the Irish manufacturing PMI remains above the flash readings for the Eurozone (52.4) and the United Kingdom (52.8) but below the United States (56.0).
Looking ahead, 41 % of surveyed manufacturers expect output to increase over the next year, up from 38 % in September, whereas only 8 % anticipate a reduction. Respondents attributed optimism to planned export‑market growth, new marketing strategies and the prospect of easing geopolitical tensions.