Edged down by the smallest margin, and in the detail an encouraging sign - jobs growth strongest for over two years.
From the report, comments by Markit
- "Australia's manufacturers ended 2020 on a strong note, reporting one of the strongest upturns in production since 2018 as order books continued to recover. Many firms even struggled to boost capacity sufficiently to meet the recent surge in demand, despite the sector taking on extra staff at the fastest rate for two years.
- "The upturn in production was made even more impressive by supply chains having been severely disrupted again by a combination of shipping delays, shortages of inputs and an increased rate of loss of exports.
- "Businesses also remained optimistic about the outlook for the year ahead. On balance, however, expectations were reined in slightly compared to November due to increased concerns that the pandemic will stretch further into 2021 than previously thought, and the possibility of escalating trade tensions."
