Manufacturers warn UK faces ‘tipping point’ on competitiveness Economics The Labour government has been handed a major warning over the future of the manufacturing industry as the sector battles rising costs and pressures to shift business to shift overseas. A fresh survey from the sector’s industry body Make UK showed senior executives in manufacturing firms feared cost pressures would soon reach a “tipping point”. [...]
UK manufacturing edges into growth territory for first time in over a year UK manufacturing has edged into growth territory for the first time in over a year following months of struggle piling onto the sector. The S&P Global UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI) hit a 14-month highof 50.2 in November, up from 49.7 in October. This placed the industry above the all-important 50 mark which indicates [...]
Construction industry sheds workers at steepest rate in five years Economics The UK’s construction industry suffered another crippling hit in October after the rate of job shedding hit its steepest level in just over five years. The latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) from S&P Global showed the sector had tumbled to 44.1 last month, down from 46.2 in September. This marks the tenth consecutive month the [...]
‘Subdued’ services sector suffers steep drop as tax hikes bite October 3, 2025 Business activity expansion fell to a five-month low after a “subdued” services sector experienced a dull end to the third quarter. S&P’s UK Services Purchasing Managers Index Business Activity tumbled to 50.8 in September, falling steeply from the 16-month high of 54.2 secured in August. “This summer’s acceleration in output growth is now looking like [...]
Services lead ‘fragile and uneven’ business activity rebound August 21, 2025 Business activity in the UK’s private sector enjoyed its strongest rebound in a year this month, but economists have cautioned the growth remains “fragile and uneven.” S&P’s Global flash UK composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reached 53.0 in August, up from 51.5 in July and marking the highest score in 12 months. Any score above [...]
UK economy sees fastest services orders slowdown since Liz Truss August 5, 2025 Hopes of a quick recovery to the UK economy are fading as orders in the services sector fell at the fastest rate since Liz Truss’ mini-budget in late 2022, fresh data has suggested. S&P Global’s latest composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a fall from a score of 52 in June to 51.5, which remains [...]
Reeves’ taxes hammer private sector as one of ‘lowest ever’ PMIs recorded April 23, 2025 Private sector output fell in April for the first time in a year and a half as firms reported “more of a struggle” to survive after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax rises kicked in, S&P Global’s flagship survey has suggested. Businesses had been preparing for Reeves’ £20bn hike to employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) for the [...]
Budget uncertainty sends economic activity down to lowest level in almost a year October 24, 2024 Uncertainty surrounding the Budget knocked economic activity in October, according to a closely watched business survey, as firms delayed decisions in the face of possible tax changes.
Manufacturing remains in expansion but confidence plummets ahead of budget October 1, 2024 The fall in confidence was the largest since March 2020, just before the Covid lockdown.
UK economy: Growth continues but budget concerns ‘jangling nerves’ September 23, 2024 PMIs, which measure business activity in the private sector, are closely watched for clues about the economy’s performance.