Overview
- China's official PMI rose to 50.4 in March, with a private survey on Wednesday putting it at 50.8 as input costs jumped at the fastest pace since March 2022 and delivery times stretched to late‑2022 highs.
- Euro zone manufacturing reached 51.6, the strongest in nearly four years, but input costs hit a 41‑month high and supplier delivery times lengthened as logistics routes were reshuffled.
- In the UK, factories reported the biggest month‑to‑month rise in input costs since 1992 and the first drop in output in six months as ships avoided the Strait of Hormuz.
- U.S. manufacturing ticked up to 52.7, while prices paid rose to the highest since June 2022 and suppliers took longer to deliver materials because of war‑related shipping snarls.
- Japan’s PMI eased to 51.6 after February’s peak, with input costs at a 19‑month high and softer confidence as higher energy prices and supply delays squeezed margins.