Northern Ireland Composite Economic Index Quarter 2 2025
Date published:
The Northern Ireland Composite Economic Index (NICEI) Quarter 2 2025 was published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA).
Key points:
- Economic Activity in Northern Ireland increased by 2.0% in real terms over the quarter to Quarter 2 2025.
- Compared to Quarter 2 2024, NI output has increased by 3.5%.
- NI economic output is now 12.1% above the pre-pandemic level seen in Quarter 4 2019.
- When assessing annualised change, NI output has increased by 2.8%.
- The largest contribution to change this quarter came from increased activity in the Services sector (1.3 percentage points (pps)).
- The increase over the year in economic activity was driven by positive contributions from all sectors.
- NI Private sector output as measured by the NICEI increased by 2.4% over the quarter and increased by 3.8% over the year. NI Public sector output as measured by the NICEI increased by 0.7% over the quarter and by 2.6% over the year.
- Although the measures are not produced on a fully equivalent basis, UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 0.3% over the quarter and by 1.2% over the year to Quarter 2 2025. UK GDP is now 4.5% above its pre-pandemic level seen in Quarter 4 2019.
Commentary
- Over the second quarter of 2025, economic activity in Northern Ireland increased by 2.0%. The largest contribution to change this quarter came from increased activity in the Services sector (1.3 pps), followed by the Construction sector (0.4 pps).
- Over the year economic activity increased by 3.5%, with positive contributions from all sectors.
- Looking at the longer term trend, NI economic activity increased gradually between 2013 and 2019, following the prolonged downturn post the 2007 financial crisis. However, the onset of the pandemic brought about a sharp downturn in output with the NICEI reaching a series low in Quarter 2 2020. Since the pandemic, economic activity in NI has recovered substantially to reach a series high in Quarter 2 2025. Output is now 35.1% above the series low point in Quarter 2 2020.
- Economic activity in Northern Ireland has increased in 22 of the last 40 quarters.
