06/07/2011: Profit Margins in Irish Services and Manufacturing

Based on latest Manufacturing and Services PMIs, let's update my index of profit margins in Irish economy.

• Profit margins continued to decline in Services, with the rate of decline slowing down from -19.74 in May to -16.02 in June. Profit margins declines are still steeper than 12mo MA of -14.6, but are now more moderate than the Q2 2011 average of 20.1 and Q1 2011 average of 17.4. However, profit margins declines for Q1 2011 were more benign than in Q2 2011.
• Profit margins in Services are now on the declining trend for 24 months straight and have accelerated significantly since 2009 and 2010. 2010 H1 average was -6.9 and 2009 H1 average was -11.0.
  
• Profit margins volatility has risen steeply during the crisis. The standard deviation for profit margins in Services was 5.29 for the entire history of the series and 5.31 for the period from 2000 through today. However, volatility now reads 7.90 for the period from January 2008 through today - the period of the crisis.
  
• Profit margins in Manufacturing also continued to decline in June, with the rate of decline moderating even more than in Services from-21.19 in May to -16.22 in June. Profit margins rates of decline are now more moderate than 12mo MA of 20.6. Q1 2011 profit margins rate of decline was -20.8 with Q2 2011 declines steeper at -23.6.
• Profit margins in Manufacturing are now on the downward trend for 28 months in a row. 2010 H1 average decline was -19.3 and 2009 H1 average was -3.7, implying that 2011 deterioration in profit margins is steeper than in both previous years.
• Profit margins volatility also rose in manufacturing during the crisis. Historical standard deviation for profit margin indicator in manufacturing stands at 6.95, while since 2000 through today volatility is 6.98. However volatility since January 2008 is 8.92.