- Prior 47.0
The headline reading is a 10-month high but UK manufacturing activity continues to observe a downturn at least for now. Both output and new orders continue to decline while the Red Sea crisis is leading to supply disruptions. This reaffirms a more challenging environment, even with some improvements seen as of late. S&P Global notes that:
“UK manufacturers faced challenging circumstances in February, as the ongoing impact of the Red Sea crisis delayed raw material deliveries, inflated purchase prices and impacted production capabilities. There were also knock-on effects for demand, as new export orders were hit by both supply disruptions and higher shipping costs. Production volumes subsequently contracted for the twelfth successive month while total new orders fell at the sharpest rate since October.
“The impacts were felt particularly hard on the price and supply fronts. Input cost inflation hit an 11-month high, leading to a further increase in selling prices. Average supplier lead times meanwhile lengthened to the greatest extent since mid-2022. Several manufacturers noted that they faced the difficult choice between accepting delays from re-routed shipping or facing the prospect of paying higher prices to source from closer to home. This comes at a time of already heightened cost caution at manufacturers in response to weak demand, as highlighted by further cuts to employment, purchasing and inventories in February.
“Although the supply impact and effect of prices is muted by standards seen at the height of the pandemic, any upward pressure on inflation will be a concern to policymakers and may add to calls that it is too early to be confident on the timing of interest rate cuts.”
