Northern Ireland services index: all services
Northern Ireland services index: all services stood at 105.3 in Q2 2026, according to Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). It is one of the indicators in the Output indices, Northern Ireland and Wales table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2005 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Output indices, Northern Ireland and Wales table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index of Services (2023 = 100) | |||||||||||
| All services | 105.3 | 104.5 | 104 | 104.4 | 104.5 | 103.9 | 103.3 | 102.8 | 102.6 | 102.6 | |
| Business services and finance | 105.2 | 103.9 | 100.7 | 103 | 100.9 | 101 | 101.6 | 100.8 | 104.8 | 102.4 |
Understanding northern Ireland services index: all services
Aggregation of all service-related industries underpins this broad indicator, capturing real-term activity across wholesale, retail, transport, hospitality, professional services, and public administration within Northern Ireland. As an overarching measure, it pools every individual service sector into a single index, distinguishing itself from narrower sub-indices that isolate specific domains like trade or accommodation. Public sector administrative services, healthcare, and education are combined alongside privately provided commercial activities to reflect the full breadth of the tertiary economy. Financial intermediation adjustments and imputed rent calculations are handled according to standard national accounting methodologies.
Evaluating the series involves recognising that service industries often experience delayed revisions as structural business surveys are fully processed and validated. Seasonality plays a significant role, particularly through retail spikes and tourism-linked hospitality patterns during specific calendar quarters. Analysts generally prefer year-on-year comparisons to bypass regular seasonal distortions, while quarter-on-quarter analysis helps pinpoint sudden macroeconomic turning points. Care must be taken when comparing this aggregate index with production indices, as service sectors exhibit different cyclical sensitivities and labour intensities.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this index cover both private and public service activities?
- Yes, it aggregates all tertiary sector branches, including privately run commercial services and publicly funded administration, health, and education.
- How does this differ from the trade and food sub-index?
- While this series covers the entire service economy, the trade and food component isolates only retail, wholesale, transport, accommodation, and food services.
- Why are early quarterly estimates subject to revision in the service sector?
- Initial returns from businesses are often incomplete, requiring subsequent adjustments once full survey responses and tax data become available.