Eurozone PMI Manufacturing was finalized at a 10-month high of 46.6 in January, up from December’s 44.4. Despite this, caution is advised as the index still hovers below the critical expansion threshold. Cyrus de la Rubia, Chief Economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, highlights that although there’s been a consistent rise over the past three months, including in forward-looking indicators like new orders, the majority of the sub-indices, including the headline index, remain in the contraction zone.
This rebound in manufacturing is particularly evident in the “southern economies”, with Greece leading at a 21-month high of 54.7 and both Spain (49.2) and Italy (48.5) showing encouraging trends. However, among the largest Eurozone economies, Germany, despite an 11-month high, remains in contraction at 45.5, and France’s economic situation continues to be concerning, at 43.2.
The upward trend in sub-indicators such as stock of purchases, backlogs of work, and output, along with a growing optimism for higher output in the coming year, offers a glimmer of hope. This gradual recovery in the manufacturing sector, spearheaded by the southern economies, may serve as a crucial catalyst to pull the larger Eurozone economies out of the recessionary environment.
