Drop in manufacturing sales, investment and employment

A survey among manufacturing enterprises showed a drop in sales, investment and employment during the second quarter of this year when compared to the same quarter last year, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

Sales by the sampled manufacturing enterprises stood at €560.9 million, a slide of €52.8 million or 8.6 per cent. Export-orientated enterprises generated €436.4 million or 77.8 per cent of total sales.

Employment in the sampled enterprises declined by 881 employees to 17,549 from 18,430 in the same period last year.

In the period under review, €71.2 million was paid out in gross wages and salaries by the sampled enterprises. Overall investment in the manufacturing industry amounted to €29 million, a dip of €2 million when compared to the second quarter last year.

Investment during the first six months of this year totalled €70.7 million, a decrease of €15.2 million.