Korea: Manufacturing PMI remains at Februarys over-decade high in March
The IHS Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) was unchanged at Februarys 55.3 in March, remaining above the 50-threshold that separates an improvement from a deterioration in the manufacturing sector, and marking an over 10-year high.
The reading came amid still-strong, albeit slower, growth in output and new orders, with these indicators expanding for the seventh and sixth consecutive month respectively. In contrast, job creation was the fastest in nearly eight years, as firms looked to bolster capacity, which was under increased pressure due to backlogs of work. Meanwhile, input prices soared at the fastest pace since early 2008, leading to the highest rise in output prices since the survey began.