Italy: Manufacturing PMI rises in February
The S&P Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 52.0 in February from January’s 50.4. Consequently, the index moved further above the 50.0 no-change threshold, signaling an improvement in business conditions in the private sector compared to the previous month.
February’s result was driven by a faster increase in output and a rebound in new orders. Moreover, supply constraints eased, employment continued to grow and business confidence remained in optimistic territory amid hopes of new product launches, expected investment and an increase in market demand. On the price front, input costs fell from the previous month for the first time since June 2020. As a consequence, firms raised their prices at a more moderate pace.