Vietnam: Manufacturing PMI drops to record low in March
The IHS Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) registered 41.9 in March, down from 49.0 in February. March’s reading was an all-time low and far below the neutral 50-threshold, signifying worsening operating conditions in the manufacturing sector.
March’s decline came on the back of record falls in output, new orders and employment. Supply chain disruption saw delivery times lengthen, while input price inflation was marginal and output prices tumbled in response to weak demand.
Commenting on February’s reading was Andrew Harker, economics director at IHS Markit:
“The key now is how long it will take before the global community can bring the pandemic under control. Once this occurs, manufacturers predict a rebound in production.”