Mumbai, Feb. 3 -- The eurozone's manufacturing sector took a step closer to stabilisation, January HCOB PMI data showed, with the industrial downturn easing markedly since December.
Contractions in output, new orders, inventories and purchasing activity all slowed, while businesses' output growth expectations rose to their strongest in close to three years.
Regarding pricing trends, eurozone manufacturers recorded a pick-up in cost pressures for the first time since last August. Prices charged held steady, ending a four-month period of discounting.
The HCOB Eurozone Manufacturing PMI, a measure of the overall health of eurozone factories compiled by S&P Global, rose from 45.1 in December to an eight-month high of 46.6 in January. Albeit ...