Economic Output Statistics

The economic output statistics were published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

Work Quality statistics

Commentary

• Output in the services sector decreased in real terms by 0.1 per cent over the third quarter of 2019. Production sector output decreased in real terms by 2.2 per cent over the quarter to its lowest point since Q4 2018.

Services Sector Output

• Services output in NI decreased in Quarter 3 by 0.1 per cent but increased by 0.6 per cent over the year. NI services output is 0.1 lower than the highest point (Quarter 4 2018) over the past ten years, and is 1.6 per cent lower than the highest point (Quarter 4 2006) since the series began. Services output in NI has recovered 11.8 per cent since the lowest point (Quarter 2 2013) since the series began.
• The quarterly decrease in NI services output has been driven by decreases in the Business services and finance (0.6 per cent), Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; accommodation and food service (0.3 per cent) and Transport, storage, information and communications (0.2 per cent) sectors. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the Other services (3.3 per cent) sector.
• When the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters, the NI and UK services sectors showed annualised growth, of 1.0 per cent and 2.0 per cent, respectively.  

Production Sector Output

• Production output in NI decreased over the third quarter by 2.2 per cent and over the year by 0.8 per cent. The UK production sector reported no change in output over the quarter (0.0 per cent) and a decrease over the year (1.5 per cent).
• The change in the IOP is caused by quarterly decreases in the Mining and Quarrying sector (7.5 per cent); the Water Supply, Sewerage and Waste Management (including Recycling) sector (5.8 per cent); the Electricity, gas steam and air conditioning supply sector (2.6 per cent) and the Manufacturing sector (1.4 per cent). The decrease in the Manufacturing sector itself contained quarterly subsector decreases in the indices for Manufacturing of chemical and pharmaceutical products (10.6 per cent); Basic metals and fabricated metal products (7.2 per cent); Food products, beverages and tobacco (2.0 per cent) and Engineering and allied industries (1.6 per cent).
• Looking at the longer term trend, when the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters, output in the NI production sector grew by 1.7 per cent, with the whole of the UK reporting a decrease of 0.9 per cent.

Upcoming Releases

• The Broad Economy Sales and Export Statistics, and revised-2015 plus provisional 2016 Supply-Use Tables were published by NISRA today (19 December 2019).
• The latest Regional Accounts Gross Value Added (GVA) estimates from 1998 to 2018 for the countries and regions of the United Kingdom, including NI, will be released by the ONS today. Within this publication the Office National Statistics (ONS) will publish GDP for the regions for the first time; this will provide the first ever GDP estimates for all the District Council’s within NI.
• The next Labour Market Report will be published on 21 January 2020.
• The NI Composite Economic Index and Quarterly Construction Enquiry are scheduled for publication on 16 January 2020.
• The Index of Production and Index of Services reports for Quarter 3 2019 will be published on 19 March 2020.

Notes to editors: 

1. This report will be of interest to Ministers, policy makers, public bodies, the business community, banks, economic commentators, academics and the general public with an interest in the local economy.

2. The detailed statistical bulletins are available at NISRA Economic Output Statistics - Index Services and NISRA Economic Output Statistics - Index Production

3. For media enquiries, please contact DfE Press Office on 028 9052 9604. Outside office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

4. Feedback is welcomed and should be addressed to:

Responsible statistician:
Carole-Ann McKay,
Economic & Labour Market Statistics Branch (ELMS),
carole-ann.mckay@nisra.gov.uk or Tel: 028 9025 5119.

5. Follow NISRA on Twitter @NISRA

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