#manufacturing-pmi

#manufacturing-pmi

Ken Murphy stated, 'In terms of tax pressures, industry and energy in particular, anything the government can do to help us to keep prices low for customers is welcome.' This highlights the urgent need for government intervention to support retailers.

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global markets and oil prices, adding a persistent layer of uncertainty for UK firms. This geopolitical instability is driving higher cost pressures and intensifying concerns around supply chains and energy security, all of which are critical factors in strategic business decision making.

"We have to solve these challenges of power and space and heat. It's not going to be solved by one thing, but one of those things is much more intelligent, multi-dimensional packaging."

China's exports have decelerated as the Iran war starts to affect global demand and supply chains, according to Gary Ng, a senior economist for Asia Pacific at French bank Natixis.

Employers added 178,000 jobs last month, much more than forecasters had expected, reversing big job losses in February and indicating a rebound in the labor market.

The monthly purchasing managers' index showed employment numbers fell more sharply in January compared with December, continuing a trend that started in October 2024. The PMI survey, which is considered to be one of the most reliable indicators of how a sector is performing, said this was the longest period of job shedding in the UK services sector in 16 years, with firms also choosing not to replace voluntary leavers.