Australia’s private sector momentum slowed sharply in September, with PMI Composite falling from 55.5 to 52.1, its lowest in three months. Manufacturing eased from 53.0 to 51.6, while services slipped more heavily from 55.8 to 52.0, signaling a broad moderation in activity.
S&P Global’s Jingyi Pan noted that new business growth weakened after two strong months, with manufacturing orders slipping back into contraction as U.S. tariffs began to weigh. Export orders also faltered, while overall business confidence dropped to its lowest in a year, hinting at a softer growth outlook into Q4.
The survey did show resilience in employment, with job creation little changed from August. However, selling price inflation remained “at a level that was above the long-run average”, and a steep rise in manufacturing cost inflation underscored margin pressures for goods producers.
