The Ulster Bank Northern Ireland PMI for December is released today. Here is a snapshot of the findings. You can download the full report at the end of this post.

• The headline seasonally adjusted Business Activity Index posted 52.3 in December, down marginally from 52.6 in November but continuing to signal a solid expansion in private sector output in Northern Ireland.
• Activity has now risen in each of the past eight months
• According to respondents, improving market conditions and rising new export business had contributed to the increase in activity.
• Manufacturing production returned to growth following a fall in November.
• Total new business rose for the eighth consecutive month in December.
• Moreover, the rate of growth quickened for the second month running and was the fastest since August.
• Higher new business led to a build-up of backlogs of work, the second in as many months.
• Firms increased their staffing levels for the eleventh successive month during December.
• Three of the four (manufacturing, construction, services, and retail) monitored sectors posted higher employment, the exception being manufacturing.
• Input prices increased at the fastest pace for a year at the end of 2015, with a number of respondents highlighting rising staff costs.
• The service sector posted the strongest rate of inflation, with the latest increase the fastest since April 2014.
• Output prices at Northern Ireland companies rose for the second month running in December.
• The rate of inflation was slight and broadly in line with that seen across the UK economy as a whole.

Download the full Ulster Bank NI PMI report and slidepack here.