Canadian Private Sector Activity Deteriorates

2026-11-04 14:36 By Larissa Caser 1 min. read

The S&P Global Canada Composite PMI fell to 48.1 in October from 48.7 in September, marking its fifth consecutive month below the neutral 50 threshold and signalling a deterioration in private-sector business conditions.

Output declined across both manufacturing and services, with contractions of similar magnitude.

Manufacturing activity contracted for the first time in 2026, while services activity fell for a fifth consecutive month.

The downturn was closely linked to a comparable decline in new business, pointing to continued weakness in demand.

Employment also decreased as firms faced limited pressure on capacity, reflected in a further reduction in outstanding workloads.

Meanwhile, cost pressures intensified, prompting businesses to raise their selling prices at a faster pace.



News Stream
Canadian Private Sector Activity Deteriorates
The S&P Global Canada Composite PMI fell to 48.1 in October from 48.7 in September, marking its fifth consecutive month below the neutral 50 threshold and signalling a deterioration in private-sector business conditions. Output declined across both manufacturing and services, with contractions of similar magnitude. Manufacturing activity contracted for the first time in 2026, while services activity fell for a fifth consecutive month. The downturn was closely linked to a comparable decline in new business, pointing to continued weakness in demand. Employment also decreased as firms faced limited pressure on capacity, reflected in a further reduction in outstanding workloads. Meanwhile, cost pressures intensified, prompting businesses to raise their selling prices at a faster pace.
2026-11-04
Canada Private Sector Activity Contracts for 4th Month
The S&P Global Canada Composite PMI rose to 48.7 in September 2026 from 47.8 in the previous month, but remained below the neutral mark for the fourth consecutive month. Service-sector activity continued to contract, albeit at a slower pace, while manufacturing output expanded to a weaker degree. New orders declined across both sectors, while employment recorded a net decrease. Cost pressures intensified, particularly in manufacturing, although overall output prices increased at their slowest pace since February. However, sentiment toward the outlook improved, reaching its highest level in five months.
2026-10-05
Canada Private Sector Activity Contracts
The S&P Global Canada Composite PMI declined to 47.8 in August 2026 from 49.7 in July, marking the lowest level since March, primarily driven by weakeness in the service sector, amid escalating tensions with the US and in the Middle East. Business confidence in the sector over future activity fell to its lowest since June 2025, with rising prices also seen as a threat to future business performance. The weakness from services offseted growth in manufacturing output for a fifth consecutive month. Input price inflation softened over the month, although remaining elevated with fuel and energy prices remaining volatile. Employment was broadly unchanged.
2026-09-03