2018.08.2905:24:00UTC+00Austria Manufacturing Growth At 20-Month Low

Austria's manufacturing activity expanded at the weakest pace in more than one-and-a-half years in August, survey figures from IHS Markit showed Wednesday.

The UniCredit Bank Austria Purchasing Managers' Index, or PMI, dropped to 56.4 in August from 56.8 in July. However, any reading above 50 indicates expansion in the sector.

Moreover, the index still remained above the long-run average of 52.3.

The decline in the headline figure mainly reflected weaker employment growth and a less severe lengthening in supplier delivery times.

Both output and new orders grew at faster rates in August. Despite this, the rate of job creation eased to the weakest since February 2017.

On the price front, input price inflation eased to a 3-month low in August, but remained strong.

Manufacturers continued to hold a positive outlook for output growth over the next twelve months. Nonetheless, the overall degree of sentiment in August was the second-weakest in over two-and-a-half years.