New figures show that activity in the manufacturing sector continued to fall in August, with a record fall in employment.
The NCB Purchasing Managers' Index recorded 44.9, up only slightly from July's record low of 43.4. Any figure below 50 means activity declined.
But the employment part of the index fell to a new low of 41.8, with firms reporting that falling workloads had led to lower staffing requirements.
New orders from home and abroad fell again last month, with the euro's strength affecting demand. But the growth in companies' costs slowed, with the index falling from 74.7 to 69.5.
NCB economist Eunan King said that although the figures offered 'some comfort', the environment for manufacturers remained extremely tough.
Meanwhile, separate figures showed that manufacturing activity in the euro zone picked up slightly in August, ending a recent steady decline in the figures.
The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector, compiled by data and research group Markit, edged up to 47.6 points in August from 47.4 in July. Despite the slight improvement, activity overall remained negative for a third month running, coming in below the 50 mark. July's figure was the lowest for five years.
