Manufacturing sector records continuous deceleration for six straight months
The country’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector which started contracting in May continued its deceleration to October according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The statistics department of the CBN disclosed in its ‘Purchasing Managers’ Index survey report for October, that this contraction hit the sixth month.
Statistics from the CBN reveals: “The manufacturing PMI in the month of October stood at 49.4 index points, indicating slowing contraction in the manufacturing sector compared with the last five months.
“Of the 14 subsectors surveyed, six subsectors reported expansion (above 50 per cent threshold) in the review month in the following order: electrical equipment, transportation equipment, printing & related support activities, chemical & pharmaceutical products, textile, apparel, leather & footwear and cement.
“The remaining eight subsectors reported contractions in the following order: Primary metal, petroleum & coal products, paper products, fabricated metal products, furniture & related products, nonmetallic mineral products, plastics & rubber products and food, beverage & tobacco products.”
At 50.0 points, the production level index in October 2020 for the manufacturing sector indicated halting in contraction which commenced since May 2020.
Of the 14 subsectors surveyed, seven subsectors recorded expansion in production level, one subsector maintained current level, while six subsectors recorded declines in production in October 2020.
