Philippine May factory activity growth slows

GROWTH in Philippine manufacturing activity slowed in May due to declining output and weaker demand from foreign markets amid global trade tensions.

- By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante Reporter

The S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which measures the country's monthly factory performance, settled at 50.1, slipping from 53 in April.

This was the lowest index since the 49.4 contraction in March.

A PMI reading above 50 denotes better operating conditions month on month, while a reading below 50 shows the opposite.

"The promising growth observed at the beginning of the second quarter signaled a notable cooling in May," Maryam Baluch, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a report on Monday. "While new orders continued to increase, they did so at a slower pace, overshadowed by contractions in other areas."

S&P Global data on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) showed that only the Philippines expanded in May, while Vietnam (49.8), Myanmar (47.6) and Indonesia (47.4) all declined.

In its report, S&P Global said output declined in May, the second contraction in the past three months.

"Overall, the downturn was marginal, but companies noted softer demand conditions weighed on production," it said.

Despite continuing to signal a rise in new sales, the rate of expansion in new orders was slight and weaker than in April, it added.

This was reflected in the softer rate of increase in input buying activity.