ASEAN manufacturing conditions improve at faster pace in May in World Economy News 03/06/2026 ASEAN manufacturers reported stronger operating conditions in May, with the S&P Global ASEAN Manufacturing PMI rising to 51.5 from 50.7 in April, marking the first increase in three months. The improvement was driven by a solid rise in new orders, which grew at a three-month high and at a historically strong pace. Production increased at a moderate rate in May, accelerating from a fractional rise in April. Export sales declined for a third consecutive month, recording a solid downturn at the fastest pace since September 2024. Purchasing activity increased at a broadly similar rate to output growth. Companies reduced both stocks of purchases and finished goods during May, though at marginal paces, as they faced longer delivery times, albeit to the least extent in nine months. Price pressures eased slightly but remained substantial. Both cost burdens and output charges rose at historically marked rates during the survey period. Business confidence regarding output over the coming 12 months improved to a four-month high, with the respective index moving towards the long-run average. Data were collected between May 12 and May 22. The S&P Global ASEAN Manufacturing PMI has posted above the neutral 50.0 threshold for 11 successive months. Maryam Baluch, Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the improvement marked a shift from the consecutive monthly slowdown since the Middle East conflict began in February. She noted that while purchasing activity increased, firms remained cautious about expanding employment, with May showing a slight decline in jobs. Source: Investing.com 2026-06-03 hellenicshippingnews... tweet Share