22.09.202123:10:00UTC+00Australia Manufacturing PMI Jumps To 57.3 In September - Markit

The manufacturing sector in Australia continued to expand in September, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from Markit Economics revealed on Thursday with a manufacturing PMI score of 57.3.

That's up from 52.0 in August and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

Output and new orders returned to growth after a brief month of contraction in August as manufacturers reported to have better adapted to ongoing COVID-19 conditions. Improved demand meanwhile drove firms to hire staff and acquire inputs at faster rates in September.

That said, supply constraints simultaneously intensified with suppliers' delivery times having lengthened at the fastest pace since the April 2020 survey record. Shortages of inputs and delivery delays also led to increased price pressures for manufacturers as input price inflation accelerated to the fastest on record. Overall optimism amongst manufacturers nevertheless sustained in September, with business confidence having risen to the highest since June.

The survey also showed that the services index improved to 44.9 in September from 42.9 in August. The composite index also improved, rising from 43.3 to 46.0.