A survey which measures activity in the manufacturing sector stayed near record low levels last month despite a slight increase.
The NCB Purchasing Managers' Index recorded 36.1, up from 35.1 in March but still the third-lowest level on record. Any figure below 50 means activity fell.
Manufacturing output fell at near-record levels, recording 36.9, though the pace of decline in new business eased slightly to 37.8 from 32.8 in March.
The survey says job cuts in manufacturing continued at a substantial pace, with the employment index of 32.3 in April the second-lowest on record.
There was a record fall in prices charged by firms as competition for scarce business intensified, while companies' costs fell sharply again as manufacturers negotiated lower costs with suppliers. The output costs index was 32, while the input prices figure was 33.5.
NCB economist Brian Devine said it was possible that the index had bottomed out, but said this just meant that things were 'getting worse at a slower pace'.
