Turnover in transportable goods increased by 20.3 per cent in April, 1998, to £3.4 billion, compared to the same month in 1997, according to the Central Statistics Office. Transportable goods includes manufacturing, and the mining, quarrying and turf industries. Within manufacturing industry, there were turnover increases of 58.9 per cent for electrical engineering, 45.9 per cent for office and data processing machinery and 25.4 per cent for pharmaceuticals.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, turnover for transportable goods in the three months ending April, 1998, was up by 8.5 per cent, compared to the preceding three months.