Germany's manufacturing sector shrunk at a slower pace in May as output and new business recovered after deterioration in the previous two months, survey data showed Monday.
The final seasonally adjusted Markit/BME Germany Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 49.4 from 48.1 in April. A PMI score below 50 suggests contraction in the sector.The flash reading for May PMI was 49. The latest reading was the highest since February.
Negative contributions from the employment, stocks of purchases and suppliers' delivery times components kept the PMI below the neutral 50 mark for the third successive month, the survey said.
Production and new orders rose moderately, growing for the first time in three months. Exports orders were broadly unchanged as stronger demand from China and the U.S. was offset by weakness in bookings from the euro area. Employment declined further, while input prices fell at the steepest pace since July 2009.
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May 01, 2026 15:54 ET Central banks dominated the economics news flow this week with almost all major ones announcing their latest policy decisions and many boosted expectations for a rate hike in June. In other news, several countries released the preliminary data for first quarter economic growth. In the U.S., comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell were also in focus as his term ends this month.