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Factory activity growth slows in August
The Freeman
|September 03, 2025
Philippine manufacturing activity expanded in August but at its slowest pace in two months amid a muted rise in output and new orders as the higher US tariffs took effect, S&P Global said on Monday.
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The S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stood at 50.8 in August, easing from 50.9 in July.
Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of select ASEAN economies, August 2025This was the lowest PMI reading since the 50.7 reading in June.
A PMI reading above 50 denotes better operating conditions than in the preceding month, while a reading below 50 shows a deterioration.
“The Philippines manufacturing sector once again indicated a subdued performance, with growth rates for output and new orders remaining below their historical averages,” Maryam Baluch, economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said.
Available S&P Global data on select Association of Southeast Asian Nations members showed the Philippines had the third-highest PMI reading, behind Thailand (52.7) and Indonesia (51.5).
This story is from the September 03, 2025 edition of The Freeman.
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