UK PMI Manufacturing dropped sharply from 52.1 to 46.0 in August, well below expectation of 51.3. That’s also the lowest level in 27 months. PMI Services ticked down from 52.6 to 52.5, above expectation of 52.0, an 18-month low. PMI Composite dropped from 52.1 to 50.9, an 18-month low.
Annabel Fiddes, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence said:
“The UK private sector moved closer to stagnation in August, as mild growth of activity across the service sector only just offset a deepening downturn at manufacturers. Waning customer demand amid the weaker economic outlook, and shortages of both staff and inputs, were reported to have hit goods producers hard, with firms registering the quickest drops in output and new work since May 2020.
Excluding the initial phase of the pandemic in early-2020, the reduction in manufacturing output was the quickest seen since the start of 2009. Meanwhile, the service sector registered the weakest increase in activity since the recovery began in early 2021.”
