Is India’s Manufacturing PMI Reaching New Heights in August?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- PMI rose to 59.3 in August, indicating growth.
- Strong production linked to new orders.
- Intermediate goods sector led in performance.
- Employment increased for the eighteenth month.
- Manufacturers express confidence in future output.
New Delhi, Sep 1 (NationPress) Fueled by a surge in new orders and robust production, India's manufacturing landscape experienced significant growth in August, with the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) climbing to 59.3 from 59.1 in July, according to a report released on Monday.
S&P Global's data indicated that this PMI figure marked the fastest enhancement in operational conditions in 17 years and six months. The majority of this growth was attributed to domestic consumers, with manufacturers citing successful advertising initiatives. Alongside the buoyant demand, participants in the survey associated this growth with effective marketing.
Notably, the most impressive sales and output were recorded in the intermediate goods segment, followed by capital goods and then consumer goods.
“India’s manufacturing PMI reached another peak in August, propelled by a swift rise in production,” stated Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC.
The intermediate goods sector showcased the strongest sales and output, followed by capital and consumer goods. Businesses surveyed reported an increase in input inventories, while finished product stocks also grew for the first time in nine months.
The report highlighted a slight rise in international orders. Companies are also stepping up their material purchases and adding more jobs, driven partly by optimism regarding the business climate.
Indian manufacturers are continuing to grow their workforce, with employment rising for the eighteenth consecutive month in August.
One factor bolstering these encouraging spending patterns is the confidence among manufacturers that output will rise over the next year. The overall level of positive sentiment rebounded from July's three-year low, as noted in the report.
The increase in the headline figure primarily reflects a faster growth rate in production volumes. This growth rate was the most rapid in nearly five years.