Greece: Manufacturing PMI starts 2020 on solid note
The IHS Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) climbed from 53.9 in December to 54.4 in January, a five-month high. Thus, the PMI rose further above the critical 50-threshold, indicating an improvement in operating conditions in the manufacturing sector
January’s increase mainly reflected stronger growth in output and new business as well as in employment amid greater client demand. Notably, new export orders rose at the fastest pace since April last year, while firms raised their staffing levels sharply, with the pace of job creation at its fastest since the start of data collection in May 1999. On the price front, although input cost inflation picked up, goods producers kept their selling prices broadly unchanged. Lastly, business confidence strengthened, with output expectations reaching its highest level since July 2012.