Weak demand and falling customer orders meant activity in the Northern Ireland economy contracted for the fifth consecutive month in November. Ulster Bank’s widely-watched purchasing managers index (PMI) also put the decline down to a slide in exports and, while still a negative figure, pointed out the rate of decline has waned in line with other regions of the UK. In tandem, optimism amongst those company’s surveyed has improved across all four sectors, particularly in services which also saw an increase in business activity for the first time in five months. The report said conditions in the labour market remain tight with firms…
