Spain Composite PMI Rises in March

The HCOB Spain Composite PMI rose to 50.2 in May 2026 from 48.7 in April, pointing to a broad stabilisation in business conditions after a steep downturn in the prior month. Services activity leveled off after contracting in the month before, while output continued to rise, albeit more modestly. New orders were broadly unchanged, while employment continued to grow at a solid pace. Business confidence improved to a three-month high but remained below its long-term average. Input cost inflation accelerated to its strongest level since November 2022, whereas output price inflation eased to a three-month low, although it remained above historical levels.

The HCOB Spain Composite PMI fell to 48.7 in April 2026 from 52.4 in March, signalling the first contraction in the country's private sector since November 2023. The downturn was driven by the services sector, while manufacturing output continued to expand solidly. New orders declined as demand softened amid widespread uncertainty linked to the conflict in the Middle East, alongside growing concerns about inflationary pressures. Latest data showed historically sharp increases in both input and output prices. On the other hand, employment increased solidly, while confidence in the outlook was broadly unchanged.

The S&P Global Spain Composite PMI rose to 52.4 in March 2026 from 51.5 in February, signaling continued expansion in private sector activity. Growth was driven mainly by the services sector, as manufacturing output declined for a second consecutive month. Similar patterns were observed in new orders and employment, with services offsetting weakness in industry. Meanwhile, input cost inflation accelerated sharply, largely due to higher energy and fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict. As a result, business confidence weakened significantly, falling to its lowest level since late 2022.