Colombia Factory Growth Hits 4-Month Streak

Colombia's Davivienda Manufacturing PMI rose to 51.8 in May 2026 from 50.8 in April, marking the highest reading since December 2025 and signaling a stronger expansion in factory activity. Resilient demand supported modest increases in both output and new orders, helping production return to growth. Manufacturers also increased staffing levels for a second consecutive month, supported by improved expectations for future output. Business confidence rose to a three-month high. Firms boosted purchases of raw materials and semi-finished goods to strengthen inventories, while input cost inflation accelerated to its highest level in 38 months. Output prices continued to rise at a historically elevated pace, although the rate eased to its weakest this year. Meanwhile, supplier delivery times lengthened to the greatest extent since September 2024, stocks of purchases and finished goods declined for a third straight month, and outstanding business volumes fell for the fourth consecutive month.

Colombia's Davivienda Manufacturing PMI eased to 50.8 in April 2026 from 51.4 in March, marked by the first production decline in over a year. Manufacturers reduced buying levels, as new orders growth slowed, amid subdued consumer demand, and costs rose to a three-year high, mainly for chemicals, hydrocarbons, packaging, plastics, rubber and textiles. Additionally, higher supplier delivery times and customs-related disruptions quickened the rate of inventory depletion to a two and a half year low. On employment, fixed-term staff were mainly hired, although overall job creation stayed modest. Business confidence deteriorated to its lowest level in nearly two years, as manufacturers cited rising competition, inflationary pressures, and softer demand as key concerns.

Colombia's Davivienda Manufacturing PMI eased to 51.4 in March from 51.6 in February 2026, indicating moderate sector improvement. New orders expanded modestly as firms noted demand resilience and new client wins, though growth softened. Output rose at a solid pace above its long-run average but receded from the prior month. Cost pressures drove sharp selling price increases, the second-strongest in nearly three-and-a-half years, as input costs surged among the strongest since March 2023. Firms paid more for chemicals, metals, textiles, and wood, with Middle East war cited as a factor. Job shedding continued for the third straight month at a modest pace. Purchasing volumes jumped at the quickest rate since November as firms anticipated further price increases. Supply disruptions worsened, with lead times extending to the most marked level in 2026. Backlogs fell at the fastest rate in 15 months. Manufacturer optimism slipped to a 21-month low, below the long-run average.