February data indicated that UK private sector output growth gained further momentum, supported by a robust and accelerated upturn in new work. Solid rates of business activity expansion were seen in both the manufacturing and service sectors. However, employment numbers decreased for the seventeenth successive month, led by another marked reduction in the service economy. The headline seasonally adjusted S&P Global Flash UK PMI® Composite Output Index registered 53.9 in February, up slightly from 53.7 in January, to signal the fastest rise in private sector activity since April 2024. This was driven by a sharper ... (full story)