India Manufacturing PMI Points To Robust Improvement In December

Health of the Indian manufacturing industry improved further in December, with growth of new work and production remaining sharp in spite of losing momentum, data from HIS Markit manufacturing PMI revealed. At 55.5 in December, the seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) pointed to a robust improvement in overall operating conditions that was elevated by historical standards. This was despite the headline figure slipping from November's ten-month high of 57.6. Moreover, the latest quarterly reading was at 56.3, its highest since the final quarter of fiscal year 2020/21.

Companies continued with their stock-building initiatives, as evidenced by another robust upturn in buying levels. Business confidence strengthened, but sentiment was again dampened by concerns surrounding supply-chain disruptions, COVID-19 and inflationary pressures. Although input costs rose sharply, and at an above-trend pace, the rate of inflation eased to a three-month low. Companies in turn restricted the passing on of additional cost burdens to clients, with factory gate charges increasing at the slowest pace in over a year.

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