Economic Output Statistics - December 2025

Date published: 18 December 2025

Commentary

• Output in the services sector increased by 1.1% over the third quarter of 2025, reaching a series high, and by 4.2% over the year.
• Retail output in NI saw a quarterly increase of 0.2% in Quarter 3 2025 and an increase of 9.0% over the year to reach a series high.
• Production sector output saw an increase of 0.8% over the third quarter of 2025 and increased by 3.8% over the year.
• When comparing current output with the pre-Coronavirus pandemic levels seen in Quarter 4 2019, NI service output is 13.6% above its pre-pandemic level, NI production output is 7.2% above its pre-pandemic level, and NI retail output is now 6.9% above its pre-pandemic level.

Services Sector Output

• The NI IOS increased by 1.1% over the third quarter of 2025 (July - September) and by 4.2% over the year, reaching a series high. UK output increased by 0.2% over the quarter and by 1.6% over the year, to reach a new UK series high.
• When the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters the NI services sector increased by 2.7% while the UK services sector increased by 1.9%.
• NI services output is now 13.6% above the pre-Coronavirus pandemic level seen in Quarter 4 2019 while UK services output is 7.8% above its Quarter 4 2019 level.
• The NI IOS output is 45.4% higher than the series low point (Quarter 2 2020).
• The 1.1% quarterly increase in NI services output reflected increases in the Business services and finance sector of 2.0%, the Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; accommodation and food service sector of 0.6% and the Other services sector of 0.7%. This was offset by a decrease in the Transport, storage, information and communications sector of 0.4%.
• The 4.2% increase seen in NI services output over the year was driven by increases in all four sectors. Business services and finance sector increased by 7.4%,Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; accommodation and food service sector by 3.7%,  Other services sector by 2.5%, Transport, storage, information and communications sector by 2.4%.

Retail Sector Output

• The retail sales sector refers to SIC 47 (Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles) and is a subset of the Index of Services (IOS).
• Retail output in NI saw an increase of 0.2% in Quarter 3 2025 and an increase of 9.0% over the year to reach a series high. GB RSI output saw an increase of 0.8% over the quarter and an increase of 0.3% over the year.
• NI RSI output is now 6.9% above the pre-Coronavirus pandemic level seen in Quarter 4 2019 while GB RSI output remains 3.0% below its Quarter 4 2019 level.
• When the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters the NI retail sector increased by 8.2% while the GB retail sector increased by 0.3%.

Production Sector Output

• The NI IOP increased by 0.8% over the quarter (July - September) and increased by 3.8% over the year. The UK IOP decreased by 0.5% over the quarter and by 0.9% over the year.
• When the most recent four quarters are compared to the previous four quarters, the NI production sector increased by 3.5% while the UK production sector decreased by 0.5%.
• The NI IOP is 7.2% above the pre-Coronavirus pandemic level seen in Quarter 4 2019, while the UK IOP remains 8.2% below its Quarter 4 2019 level.
• Over the quarter the increase in NI production output was driven by a rise in the Manufacturing (0.4%), and Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (2.3%) sectors. In contrast a decrease was seen in the Water supply, sewerage and waste management (Inc. recycling) (2.6%) and Mining and quarrying (1.4%) sectors.
• Similarly, over the year the increase in NI production output was driven by a rise in all four main sectors – Manufacturing (3.5%), Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (6.0%), Water supply, sewerage and waste management (Inc. recycling) (1.4%) and Mining and quarrying (15.4%).