30.04.202623:22:53UTC+00Australia Manufacturing PMI Revised Higher

The S&P Global Australia Manufacturing PMI rose to 51.3 in April 2026, up from the flash estimate of 51.0 and March’s 49.8, moving further into expansionary territory. However, the improvement was driven largely by a marked lengthening of delivery times—linked to the war in the Middle East and international freight delays—rather than by stronger underlying demand.

Manufacturers increased purchases and rebuilt inventories for the first time in seven months, pointing to precautionary stockpiling. At the same time, output declined at the sharpest rate in 16 months, and new orders fell again, with export sales slipping for the first time in four months.

Employment contracted for a second consecutive month, while backlogs of work and stocks of finished goods continued to fall. Input costs rose at the fastest pace since March 2022, driven by higher fuel prices, and output price inflation accelerated to near-record levels. Business confidence deteriorated for a third straight month, reaching its lowest point since July 2024 amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and intensifying cost pressures.