Ireland’s manufacturing sector continued to strengthen in June, with the AIB Manufacturing PMI rising to 53.7 from 52.6 in May, the highest reading since May 2022 and the sixth consecutive month of expansion. The improvement was driven by faster job creation and renewed stock building, alongside solid - though slightly slower - growth in both output and new orders. Stronger operating conditions also led to the sharpest increase in input purchases since April 2022. Business confidence for the year ahead rose to a five-month high, recovering further from April’s low, as firms cited optimism around new business initiatives and increased investment spending. However, sentiment remained tempered by ongoing concerns about global economic uncertainty and the potential impact of US tariffs, with some companies warning these factors could still pose risks to performance.