For British manufacturers there was a promising start to 2026, thanks to renewed business confidence and a revival in global demand. The latest purchasing managers’ index, or PMI, rose to 51.8 in January up from 50.6 in December, which is the strongest performance since August 2024. Any score above 50 is seen as a sign of growth.
Multi-industry suppliers
This is especially good news for businesses that serve several industries, like //www.aptech.uk.com/pneumatic-conveying-systems/, which supplies pneumatic conveying systems to the food, pharmaceutical, chemicals and plastic sectors, among others.
Standard & Poor Global Market Intelligence
According to Standard & Poor’s global survey of 650 manufacturers, new export orders increased for the first time in four years, with factories reporting stronger sales to Europe, the US and China. Business optimism also reached its highest level since before last autumn’s budget. Standard & Poor interpret the results as showing an encouraging level of resilience in the face of intense geopolitical uncertainty.
Green shoots of an economic upturn
The upbeat message from this manufacturing data fits the broader picture of improving economic momentum in the UK. Towards the end of 2025, retail sales and GDP both exceeded expectations and, according to the Institute of Directors, confidence among company directors reached an eight month high.
The outlook for interest rates
As many economists predicted, the figures convinced the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to hold interest rates at 3.75%, until prices and wages become more stable. With inflation inching down towards the Bank’s 2% target, interest rate cuts are widely expected in 2026.
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