Colombia: Manufacturing sector declines in April amid economic uncertainty
The Davivienda Colombia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to a six-month low of 49.2 in April from 50.6 in March. As a result, the index moved below the 50.0 no-change threshold and signaled a deterioration in manufacturing-sector operating conditions compared to the previous month.
The decline was primarily driven by a more pronounced decrease in new orders, attributed to excess stock at clients and cashflow problems. This prompted firms to reduce output for the first time in five months, leading employment to flatline after increasing in March.
On the price front, there was a slight increase in input costs, while selling charges remained largely stable at March’s levels. Lastly, business sentiment remained positive but fell to the lowest level since November 2023 amid economic uncertainty, weakness in the construction sector, liquidity problems, and subdued client activity.