UK PMI Manufacturing was finalized at 54.1 in January, down from December’s 3 year-high of 57.5. Markit said supply chains were stretched by Brexit and COVID restrictions. Input cost and selling price inflation both accelerated.
Rob Dobson, Director at IHS Markit: “A mixture of harsher COVID-19 restrictions and Brexit led to near-record supply-chain disruptions, lower exports and increased costs… The hope is that the current constraints will start to ease once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, vaccines are rolled out and ports, suppliers and manufacturers adapt to the new trading environment post-Brexit. If so, supply, demand and production bottlenecks should slowly work through the system and growth will not be knocked too far off course through 2021. However, there is no swift end in sight to these headwinds, and the longer the current circumstances remain the greater the potential damage to the sector and its suppliers.”
