Economic momentum slows in Oct due to US tariffs: Flash PMI

INDIA'S OVERALL BUSINESS activity expanded at the slowest pace in five months in October, as weaker export demand—partly linked to US tariffs—tempered growth momentum, according to a survey by HSBC Holdings Plc.

- FE BUREAU

Falling from 61 in September to 59.9 in October, the HSBC Flash India Composite Output Index—a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of India's manufacturing and service sectors—registered its lowest reading since May 2025. Despite signaling a softer rate of expansion, the current figure was still consistent with a historically sharp rate of growth.