The Spanish manufacturing sector started 2014 on a positive footing, Markit Economics said Monday.
The seasonally adjusted Markit Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 52.2 in January from 50.8 in December. Moreover, the improvement in operating conditions in January was the strongest since April 2010.
The rate of growth in manufacturing output accelerated in January and was the fastest in close to three-and-a-half years. Total new business also grew at a sharper pace, with some panellists highlighting the impact of rising new export orders.
Data showed that rising workloads led firms to take on extra staff, marking the first instance of job creation since late-2010.
Manufacturers reported a slight fall in input costs, the first since August last year. Output prices also decreased in January, following a rise in December.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com