Scottish private sector activity fell at the end of the year, although the Royal Bank of Scotland's Business Activity Index improved from November's recent low of 43.9 to 48.3 in December; the softest downturn in activity in the current five-month sequence of reduction.
Similarly, while new work received fell strongly in December, the pace of decrease was softer than that recorded in the previous survey period.
However, the ongoing drop in business requirements amid challenging demand conditions resulted in the first fall in employment in 21 months. Moreover, as backlogs of work continued to decrease and expectations moderated further.
