Key facts
- Manufacturing PMI fell to 53.3 in October, the slowest expansion in seven months.
- Output and new orders growth eased, with new export business at a four-month low.
- Factory employment and service activity both saw moderate increases.
Japan's manufacturing sector experienced its slowest growth in seven months in October, according to flash survey data released on Friday. The S&P Global Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) declined to 53.3 from 54.1 in September, indicating a slowdown in expansion. Output and new orders growth eased, with new export business rising at the slowest rate in four months. Manufacturers reported the weakest increase in output and new orders since March. Despite the slowdown in manufacturing, factory employment saw a moderate rise, and service sector activity edged higher, with the Services PMI rising to 52.0. The broader Composite PMI Output Index remained unchanged at 52.3, marking 19 consecutive months of expansion in overall private sector activity.