Construction firms increased their workforce numbers in April as building activity continued to rise, according to a new report.

The latest Ulster Bank construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to 60.7 in April from 57.7 in March.

The bank said that total activity growth was supported by sharper rises in housing and commercial activity.

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Simon Berry, chief economist at Ulster Bank said: "There was a very sharp acceleration in commercial activity which took the Commercial PMI to its highest level since last May, in the process leaving commercial as the strongest performing activity category last month.

"But the improvement was broadly-based, with the pace of growth in housing activity also picking up to an 11-month high, while civil engineering recorded a fifth consecutive month of expansion, albeit at a somewhat slower pace in April."

(CD)