UK Manufacturing PMI Revised Lower

2026-01-02 09:45 By Andre Joaquim 1 min. read

The S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.6 in December from 50.2 in the previous month, revised downward from the preliminary estimate of 51.2, but remaining ahead of the initial market expectations of 50.4.

It was a second consecutive expansion in the UK's factory activity gauge following a full year of contractionary readings.

Output rose for a third straight month with broad increases observed in consumer, intermediate, and investment goods sectors, supported by new work intakes, which expanded for the first time in 15 months.

Still, manufacturing employment decreased for the fourteenth month running with companies continuing to cite higher labor costs from the UK's new Insurance contributions, although uncertainty from the Autumn Budget decreased and drove the decline in employment levels to its softest in the current trend.

On the price front, both input and output inflation rose in the period on higher wage costs and soaring wholesale prices of metals for electronics.



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The S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.6 in December from 50.2 in the previous month, revised downward from the preliminary estimate of 51.2, but remaining ahead of the initial market expectations of 50.4. It was a second consecutive expansion in the UK's factory activity gauge following a full year of contractionary readings. Output rose for a third straight month with broad increases observed in consumer, intermediate, and investment goods sectors, supported by new work intakes, which expanded for the first time in 15 months. Still, manufacturing employment decreased for the fourteenth month running with companies continuing to cite higher labor costs from the UK's new Insurance contributions, although uncertainty from the Autumn Budget decreased and drove the decline in employment levels to its softest in the current trend. On the price front, both input and output inflation rose in the period on higher wage costs and soaring wholesale prices of metals for electronics.
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