India Manufacturing PMI at 54.6 in May

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stood at 54.6 in May, as against 54.7 in April. The latest figure pointed to a sustained recovery across the sector. The above-50.0 reading was the eleventh in as many months and consistent with a solid improvement in operating conditions.

The indices vary between 0 and 100, with a reading above 50 indicating an overall increase compared to the previous month, and below 50 an overall decrease. The indices are then seasonally adjusted.

Manufacturing sector jobs rose further in May, owing to ongoing improvements in sales. Although only slight, the rate of employment growth picked up to the strongest since January 2020, S&P Global Market Intelligence said in a statement.

Pollyanna De Lima, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: India's manufacturing sector sustained strong growth momentum in May. Thanks in part to the sharpest rise in international sales for eleven years, total new orders expanded further. In response to demand resilience, companies continued with their efforts to rebuild stocks and hired extra workers accordingly.

While firms appear to be focusing on the now, the survey's gauge of business optimism shows a sense of unease among manufacturers. The overall level of sentiment was the second-lowest seen for two years, with panellists generally expecting growth prospects to be harmed by acute price pressures.

"There was little-movement in the rate of input price inflation during May, which remains historically high, but output charge inflation surged to its highest in over eight-and-a-half years as companies continued to transfer additional cost burdens to their clients."

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